Wake Forest University Health Sciences receives $19.3M for Women's Health Initiative Memory Study

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $19,271,816 ($19.3M)

Contractor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2003-12-01

End Date: 2011-06-30

Contract Duration: 2,768 days

Daily Burn Rate: $7.0K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE

Sector: Healthcare

Official Description: WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE MEMORY STUDY COORDINATING CTR

Place of Performance

Location: WINSTON SALEM, FORSYTH County, NORTH CAROLINA, 27157, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

State: North Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $19.3 million to WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES for work described as: WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE MEMORY STUDY COORDINATING CTR Key points: 1. Contract awarded for critical research support, extending over 7 years. 2. Focus on data processing and hosting for a significant health study. 3. Sole-source award raises questions about potential cost efficiencies. 4. Performance period spans a substantial duration, indicating long-term project needs. 5. Geographic location in North Carolina for study coordination. 6. The contract type suggests a focus on service provision rather than product acquisition.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $19.3 million over approximately 7.5 years averages to about $2.57 million annually. Without comparable contracts for similar large-scale, long-term health study coordination and data management, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging. However, the 'COST NO FEE' contract type implies that the government reimburses allowable costs up to a fixed fee, which can sometimes lead to less stringent cost control compared to fixed-price contracts. Benchmarking against other large federal research grants or IT service contracts of similar duration and scope would be necessary for a more definitive value assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not competed among multiple vendors. This approach is typically used when a specific entity possesses unique capabilities or when it's deemed impractical or not advantageous to compete. The lack of competition means there was no direct price comparison through bidding, potentially limiting the government's ability to secure the lowest possible price.

Taxpayer Impact: Sole-source awards can result in higher costs for taxpayers as the government does not benefit from the competitive pressure that drives down prices. It also limits opportunities for other qualified vendors to secure federal funding.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are researchers and participants involved in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Services delivered include computing infrastructure, data processing, and web hosting essential for study continuity. The geographic impact is centered in North Carolina, where the coordinating center is located. Workforce implications include support for research staff, data analysts, and IT professionals at the coordinating center.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competitive pricing and potential cost savings for taxpayers.
Long contract duration without clear performance metrics makes ongoing value assessment difficult.
Lack of transparency in the justification for sole-source award.
Potential for cost overruns given the 'COST NO FEE' contract type if not closely monitored.

Positive Signals

Supports a critical and long-standing women's health research initiative.
Ensures continuity of data management and research operations for a vital study.
Award to a known academic institution with established research infrastructure.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT and Healthcare sectors, specifically focusing on data processing, web hosting, and related services for a large-scale medical research study. The market for such services is broad, encompassing cloud providers, specialized data management firms, and academic institutions with robust IT capabilities. The value of this specific contract, while significant, represents a small fraction of overall federal spending on health research and IT infrastructure. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large, multi-year research grants requiring extensive data management and IT support.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not competed and there is no indication of small business set-asides or subcontracting requirements. As a sole-source award to a large university, it is unlikely to have direct positive impacts on the small business ecosystem. Opportunities for small businesses would typically arise in a competitive bidding environment or through specific subcontracting plans, neither of which appear to be present here.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. As a 'COST NO FEE' contract, rigorous financial oversight and auditing by the agency are crucial to ensure that reimbursed costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable. Transparency regarding the specific costs incurred and the justification for the sole-source award would be key accountability measures. The Inspector General's office for HHS would have jurisdiction for audits and investigations if any irregularities were suspected.

Related Government Programs

Women's Health Initiative
National Institutes of Health Research Grants
Health Data Management Services
Federal IT Infrastructure Contracts

Risk Flags

Sole-source award may limit competition and potentially increase costs.
Contract type ('COST NO FEE') requires diligent government oversight to manage costs.
Lack of specific performance metrics in the provided data makes outcome assessment difficult.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $19.3 million to WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES. WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE MEMORY STUDY COORDINATING CTR

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $19.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2003-12-01. End: 2011-06-30.

What is the specific justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis to Wake Forest University Health Sciences?

The provided data does not include the specific justification for the sole-source award. Typically, sole-source contracts are awarded when only one responsible source is available or possesses unique capabilities, or when there is a compelling urgency. For a contract of this duration and value supporting a major research study, the justification likely centers on Wake Forest's established role, expertise, and infrastructure in managing the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Without the official justification document, it's impossible to verify the validity of these reasons and assess if competition was truly impractical or not advantageous.

How does the 'COST NO FEE' contract type impact cost control and potential for overruns compared to other contract types?

The 'COST NO FEE' contract type means the government agrees to pay the contractor's allowable costs incurred in performing the contract, plus a fixed fee. This structure places the risk of cost overruns primarily on the government, as the contractor is reimbursed for actual costs. While the fixed fee provides some cost certainty for the contractor's profit, it can incentivize less stringent cost management compared to fixed-price contracts where the contractor bears the risk of exceeding the agreed-upon price. Effective oversight, detailed cost reporting, and robust auditing by the government are essential to control costs and prevent overruns under this contract type.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of this contract, given its long duration and focus on data services?

The provided data does not specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract. However, for a contract focused on computing infrastructure, data processing, and web hosting for a research study, typical KPIs would likely include data accuracy and integrity, system uptime and availability, data security compliance, response times for data requests, and adherence to project timelines for data analysis and reporting. The success of the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study itself would also serve as an overarching measure of the effectiveness of the services provided under this contract.

Can the annual spending under this contract be benchmarked against similar health research IT support contracts?

The annual spending averages approximately $2.57 million ($19.3M / 7.5 years). Benchmarking this figure against similar health research IT support contracts is challenging without access to a comprehensive database of comparable federal contracts. Factors such as the specific nature of the research, the scale of data involved, the required IT infrastructure complexity, and the duration of the contract significantly influence costs. While $2.57 million annually for dedicated IT support for a large-scale, long-term study is substantial, its 'value for money' can only be truly assessed by comparing it to contracts with very similar scopes, durations, and research objectives.

What is the historical spending pattern for the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study Coordinating Center with the federal government?

The provided data only details one contract awarded to Wake Forest University Health Sciences for the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study Coordinating Center, spanning from December 1, 2003, to June 30, 2011, with a value of $19,271,815.58. This suggests a significant, long-term relationship. To understand the full historical spending pattern, one would need to search federal procurement databases for all contracts awarded to Wake Forest University Health Sciences related to this specific study or similar research coordination activities over a broader period, potentially including earlier phases of the study or related projects.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › N – Health R&D Services

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE (S)

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Wake Forest University (UEI: 041418799)

Address: MEDICAL CENTER BLVD., WINSTON SALEM, NC, 27157

Business Categories: Category Business, Educational Institution, Higher Education, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $19,271,816

Exercised Options: $19,271,816

Current Obligation: $19,271,816

Timeline