American Type Culture Collection — Federal Contractor Profile

ATCC Secures $644 Million in Government Contracts for Biological Resources

Contractor Overview

Total Contract Value: $8,610,657,483 ($8.6B)

Total Awards: 53

Company Profile

The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) is a non-profit organization that serves as a global biological resource center, playing a critical role in scientific research and development. Their core capabilities lie in the preservation, authentication, and distribution of biological materials, including cell lines, microorganisms, and molecular tools. In the context of government contracting, ATCC's expertise is leveraged by various federal agencies for research, development, and quality control purposes. Their government business, while not extensive in terms of contract volume, is significant in value, with a total of $644.4 million across four contracts. The average contract size is exceptionally large at over $161 million, indicating that these are likely major, long-term engagements. Due to the specialized nature of their services and the unique biological resources they maintain, ATCC often secures contracts through sole-source or limited competition pathways, reflecting their status as a primary, if not the only, provider for certain critical materials and services. Their track record is marked by substantial, high-value contracts, suggesting a deep and trusted relationship with agencies requiring their unique biological resources. The pattern of large, infrequent contracts points to a strategy focused on securing major, mission-critical support roles rather than a broad, competitive market approach. This suggests ATCC's business strategy is centered on leveraging its unique position as a steward of vital biological collections to support long-term government scientific endeavors.

Specializations

Contractor Metrics

Average Contract Size: $0

Competitive Win Rate: Estimated Low (likely high sole-source due to specialization)

Agency Concentration: N/A

Growth Trajectory: Stable (based on limited contract data)

Competitive Position

ATCC occupies a unique and dominant position in its niche. As a primary global biological resource center, it is often the sole or primary source for highly specialized and authenticated biological materials. This specialized role means they face limited direct competition for many of their government contracts, positioning them as a critical, albeit not broadly competitive, supplier.

Value to Taxpayers

The value ATCC provides to taxpayers is primarily through enabling critical scientific research and ensuring the quality and reliability of biological materials used in government-funded projects. The large contract values suggest significant, long-term support for essential scientific infrastructure. While the lack of competitive bidding on many contracts warrants scrutiny, the specialized nature of ATCC's offerings and its role as a steward of vital biological collections likely justify the investment for specific, mission-critical needs.

Agency Relationships

Information on specific agency clients is not available in the provided data. However, agencies involved in biomedical research, public health, and national security would logically rely on ATCC for authenticated biological materials and related services. The absence of specific client data makes it difficult to assess dependency risks.

Red Flags

Green Flags

Key Contracts

The provided data indicates that AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION (ATCC) has been awarded four government contracts totaling $644.4 million. The average contract size of over $161 million suggests these are substantial, long-term engagements rather than smaller, transactional procurements. While specific contract details and agency clients are not listed, the nature of ATCC's operations as a global biological resource center implies these contracts likely support critical government functions related to scientific research, development, and public health. For instance, such contracts could involve providing authenticated cell lines for drug discovery and testing, supplying reference microorganisms for infectious disease surveillance and control, or offering specialized molecular tools for genomic research. The sheer scale of these contracts underscores ATCC's importance as a provider of essential biological materials and services to the federal government. The high average value, coupled with the limited number of contracts, suggests that ATCC secures major, mission-critical support roles, likely through sole-source or limited competition due to its unique expertise and the specialized nature of the biological resources it maintains. This pattern indicates a strategic focus on leveraging its established position as a steward of vital biological collections to support long-term government scientific objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION do for the government?

AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION (ATCC) provides the U.S. government with critical biological resources and services. As a global biological resource center, ATCC specializes in preserving, authenticating, and distributing a vast array of cell lines, microorganisms, and molecular tools. Government agencies utilize these resources for a wide range of applications, including biomedical research, drug development, infectious disease surveillance, quality control of biological products, and national security initiatives. ATCC's role ensures that researchers and agencies have access to reliable, high-quality biological materials essential for scientific advancement and public health protection.

How much taxpayer money does AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION receive?

AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION has received a total of $644.4 million across four government contracts. The average value of these contracts is approximately $161.1 million. This significant financial commitment indicates substantial investment by the government in ATCC's specialized biological resources and services over the period covered by these contracts.

Is AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION good value for taxpayer money?

Assessing the value for taxpayer money is complex. ATCC provides unique and essential biological resources that are critical for government research and public health. The large contract values suggest significant, long-term support for these vital functions. However, the inferred reliance on sole-source contracts, due to ATCC's specialized nature, means that direct price competition is likely limited. Therefore, value is derived from ATCC's unique capabilities and the critical nature of its services, rather than from cost savings achieved through competitive bidding.

How does AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION win its contracts?

Given ATCC's specialization as a global biological resource center, it is highly probable that many of its government contracts are won through sole-source or limited competition. This is because ATCC possesses unique collections of authenticated biological materials and specialized expertise that are not readily available from other providers. While some contracts might involve competitive bidding, the nature of its offerings suggests a significant portion are awarded based on its unique qualifications and established role as a primary provider for critical government needs.

What agencies use AMERICAN TYPE CULTURE COLLECTION most?

The provided data does not specify which government agencies are ATCC's top clients. However, based on ATCC's specialization in biological resources, it is logical to infer that agencies heavily involved in scientific research, public health, and biomedical development would be primary users. This could include agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and potentially defense or intelligence agencies requiring biological materials for research or security purposes.

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