NIH awards $5.76M to UNC-Chapel Hill for core operations of Hispanic Community Health Study

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $5,758,357 ($5.8M)

Contractor: University of North Carolina AT Chapel Hill

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2024-11-30

End Date: 2026-11-29

Contract Duration: 729 days

Daily Burn Rate: $7.9K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: HISPANIC COMMUNITY HEALTH STUDY - STUDY OF LATINOS (HCHS-SOL) COORDINATING CENTER - TASK AREA A - CORE STUDY OPERATIONS

Place of Performance

Location: CHAPEL HILL, ORANGE County, NORTH CAROLINA, 27599

State: North Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $5.8 million to UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL for work described as: HISPANIC COMMUNITY HEALTH STUDY - STUDY OF LATINOS (HCHS-SOL) COORDINATING CENTER - TASK AREA A - CORE STUDY OPERATIONS Key points: 1. Contract focuses on essential operational support for a significant health study. 2. Research and Development sector, specifically life sciences, is the primary focus. 3. The award is a delivery order under a larger contract, indicating ongoing program support. 4. The duration of the task area is two years, suggesting a defined operational scope. 5. The contractor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has a strong academic research background. 6. The contract type is Cost No Fee, which is common for research and development efforts where outcomes can be uncertain.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The award amount of $5.76 million for two years of core study operations appears reasonable for a large-scale, multi-year research initiative like the Hispanic Community Health Study - Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL). Benchmarking against similar large epidemiological studies managed by NIH would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment. The Cost No Fee contract type suggests that the focus is on achieving research objectives rather than profit, which can be advantageous for the government in R&D contexts. However, without detailed cost breakdowns, a granular assessment of pricing efficiency is limited.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple qualified bidders had the opportunity to submit proposals. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the open competition suggests a healthy market for research coordination services. This process is designed to foster price discovery and ensure the government receives competitive proposals, potentially leading to better value.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition generally benefits taxpayers by ensuring that the government explores a wide range of potential contractors, which can drive down costs and improve the quality of services received.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the researchers and participants of the HCHS-SOL study, enabling the continuation of critical health data collection and analysis. Services delivered include core operational support, essential for the smooth functioning of a large-scale epidemiological research project. The study focuses on the health of the Hispanic community, with potential geographic impacts across the United States where participants reside. Workforce implications include support for researchers, data managers, and administrative staff at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and potentially other collaborating institutions.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of specific performance metrics in the provided data makes it difficult to assess the contractor's past performance effectiveness.
The Cost No Fee contract type, while common in R&D, can sometimes make it challenging to track and control costs if not managed diligently.

Positive Signals

The award to a major research university like UNC-Chapel Hill suggests a strong capacity for managing complex research operations.
Full and open competition indicates a robust process for selecting the most capable and cost-effective provider.
The contract supports a significant public health study, aligning with government priorities for understanding and improving health outcomes in specific populations.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Research and Development sector, specifically focusing on life sciences. The market for coordinating centers for large epidemiological studies is specialized, often involving academic institutions with established research infrastructure and expertise. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large-scale NIH-funded cohort studies and their coordinating center awards. The total value of the parent contract, from which this delivery order is issued, would provide further context on the overall investment in the HCHS-SOL study.

Small Business Impact

The provided data indicates that small business participation is not a primary focus for this specific contract, as it is not a small business set-aside and the prime contractor is a large university. However, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may engage small businesses as subcontractors for specialized services, though this is not explicitly detailed. The impact on the small business ecosystem would depend on the extent of any subcontracting opportunities.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the awarding agency. Mechanisms likely include regular progress reports, financial reviews, and potentially site visits to ensure adherence to research protocols and budget. Accountability is tied to the successful completion of the operational tasks outlined in the contract. Transparency is facilitated through the federal contract database (e.g., FPDS/SAM.gov), where contract awards are publicly reported. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Hispanic Community Health Study - Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL)
National Institutes of Health Research Grants
Epidemiological Research Contracts
Health Disparities Research

Risk Flags

Potential for scope creep in research operations.
Challenges in maintaining long-term participant engagement.
Data security and privacy risks.
Reliance on specific research personnel expertise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $5.8 million to UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL. HISPANIC COMMUNITY HEALTH STUDY - STUDY OF LATINOS (HCHS-SOL) COORDINATING CENTER - TASK AREA A - CORE STUDY OPERATIONS

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL.

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 $5.8 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-11-30. End: 2026-11-29.

What is the track record of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in managing large-scale federal research contracts, particularly in health studies?

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) has a long and distinguished history of managing complex federal research grants and contracts, particularly within the health sciences. As a major public research university, UNC-Chapel Hill consistently ranks among the top institutions for federal research funding. Its Gillings School of Global Public Health is particularly renowned and has been involved in numerous large-scale epidemiological studies, often serving as coordinating centers. These studies frequently involve managing multi-site collaborations, large datasets, participant recruitment and retention, and complex data analysis. UNC-Chapel Hill has a demonstrated capacity to handle significant funding amounts and meet rigorous federal reporting and compliance requirements. Their experience in managing similar cohort studies, including those funded by NIH, suggests a strong foundation for successfully executing the operational tasks for the HCHS-SOL coordinating center.

How does the awarded amount compare to the total budget or historical spending for the HCHS-SOL coordinating center?

The awarded amount of $5.76 million represents a task area award for core study operations under a larger contract for the Hispanic Community Health Study - Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL). To fully assess its comparability, one would need to examine the total value and duration of the parent contract, as well as historical spending on previous coordinating center tasks or similar studies. Large epidemiological studies often have multi-year budgets in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. This $5.76 million for a two-year period suggests it is a significant component of the overall study's operational budget. Without access to the full contract details or historical financial data for HCHS-SOL, a precise comparison is difficult, but the amount appears commensurate with the scope of managing core operations for a major national health study.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract, and how are they being mitigated?

Primary risks associated with this contract include potential challenges in participant recruitment and retention, data quality and integrity issues, delays in operational execution, and the inherent uncertainties in research outcomes. Given that this is a Cost No Fee contract, there's also a risk related to ensuring efficient use of funds without a direct profit motive driving cost control. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust project management by UNC-Chapel Hill, established protocols for data collection and quality assurance, regular communication with NIH, and contingency planning for operational disruptions. The full and open competition process also helps mitigate risks by selecting a contractor with a proven track record and capacity. NIH's oversight mechanisms, including progress reports and potential site reviews, further serve to identify and address risks proactively.

How effective is the Cost No Fee (CNF) contract type for managing research and development projects like this health study?

The Cost No Fee (CNF) contract type is frequently used for research and development (R&D) efforts, particularly when the scope of work is not precisely defined or when the primary goal is exploration and discovery rather than the delivery of a specific, tangible product. In the context of the HCHS-SOL coordinating center, CNF means the contractor (UNC-Chapel Hill) is reimbursed for allowable costs incurred in performing the work, but receives no additional fee or profit. This structure is often favored in R&D because it aligns the contractor's incentive with achieving the research objectives rather than maximizing profit. It can encourage innovation and allow flexibility in addressing unforeseen research challenges. However, it places a strong emphasis on government oversight to ensure that costs are reasonable and allocable to the contract, as the contractor has less inherent financial incentive to control expenses compared to a fixed-price contract.

What is the significance of the North Carolina location (st: NC, sn: NORTH CAROLINA) for this contract?

The location of the contractor, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), in North Carolina is significant primarily in terms of its operational base and access to resources. UNC-Chapel Hill is a major research institution with extensive facilities, a large pool of qualified researchers and staff, and established administrative support systems necessary for managing a large-scale coordinating center. While the study itself focuses on the Hispanic community across the United States, the physical location of the coordinating center dictates where the core operational management, data processing, and administrative functions will be housed. North Carolina's research ecosystem, particularly in public health and epidemiology, provides a strong environment for such an undertaking. The geographic location itself does not directly influence the study's participant population but is crucial for the logistical and administrative execution of the research.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: 75N92023R0190

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE (S)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: University of North Carolina System Office

Address: 104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200, CHAPEL HILL, NC, 27599

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $22,211,537

Exercised Options: $5,758,357

Current Obligation: $5,758,357

Actual Outlays: $2,733,081

Subaward Activity

Number of Subawards: 1

Total Subaward Amount: $682,100

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 75N92025D00001

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline