Contract Award

Questions and Answers Table of Contents

Does NIAID have a contracting Web site?

Yes. Go to R&D Contracts.

What percentage of the NIH and NIAID budgets are spent on contracts?

In FY 2007, about 10 percent of NIH's $29 billion budget went to R&D contracts, while NIAID spent about 23 percent of its $4.4 billion budget on R&D contracts. Our number is higher because we use contracts not only to award a large number of biodefense contracts but also to conduct clinical trials and related infrastructure support. Other institutes generally use grants or corporate agreements for comparable activities.

How does NIAID decide to award a contract instead of a grant?

NIAID uses a contract when it wants to purchase a product or service or for other purposes, including research and development. All contracts have a statement of work, which specifies government needs. A grant is an assistance mechanism that allows a grantee considerable flexibility in determining the research direction. No fixed product is expected. Instead, grantees conduct research in good faith, even if it yields negative results. Visit Contracts, Research Grants, and Extramural SOPs for more information.

Are requirements and administrative processes more stringent for contracts?

Yes. Contracts describe in detail the deliverables and other work products the government expects from a contractor. Their legally binding statements of work clearly define government needs and expectations. See Contract Deliverables and Reporting Requirements SOP and Invoice Processing Procedures for Contracts SOP.

Do academic scientists generally apply for NIH R&D contracts?

Yes. Academic and other research scientists, such as those from businesses, apply for NIH R&D contracts.

May a subcontractor subcontract another organization?

No. NIAID does not allow a subcontractor to use a subcontract. Read Providing Consent to Subcontract SOP.

Do subcontractors need a Commons account?

No. Subcontractor organizations do not need to register with eRA Commons. Keep in mind that all subcontractors must have a direct subcontract with the awardee institution.

Where can I find details on NIAID contracting procedures?

Find information at About NIAID Contracts and in our SOPs; go to the Extramural Standard Operating Procedures or Extramural SOPs by Stage: Contracts.

Where do I find RFPs?

You can find requests for proposals in FedBizOpps, the Federal Business Opportunities Web site. You can also find NIAID's active RFPs on the NIH Funding Opportunities Relevant to NIAID.

Do contracts undergo a rigorous peer review?

Yes. For details on the process, go to About NIAID Contracts and Peer Review of R&D Contract Technical Proposals SOP.

Are contract proposals reviewed by Council?

No. Second-level review is done by peer reviewers from the initial peer review. For more information, see About NIAID Contracts.

Is merit the primary criterion for awarding contracts?

Yes. NIAID makes awards based on technical merit, though cost and past performance may also be factors in funding decisions.

Do offerors in the competitive range answer scientific and other questions?

What is source selection?

After negotiations, the Office of Acquisitions holds a source selection meeting to review all revised proposals and select a contractor. After that review, we can give you information on your proposal's competitive status. For more information, go to About NIAID Contracts and Finalization of Details with Selected Source SOP.

Can I request a debriefing after a competition is over?

Yes. You can request a debriefing in writing on your proposal's strengths and weaknesses. See the Debriefing Unsuccessful Offerors SOP.

When can I get more information on the competition?

Much of the information for a competition is confidential, including the identity of offerors. After a contract is awarded, we inform all offerors of the number of proposals submitted, name of the successful offeror, and dollars and period awarded.

How can I find an archive of NIAID contract awards and names of awardees?

We don’t archive this information on our Web site. Instead, you can find it using the search function at FedBizOpps. Award announcements include the contract award number, awardee information, date, dollar amount, and more.

Here are our tips for using the Advanced Search function at FedBizOpps:

• If you have security settings in your browser for Javascript, set it to allow scripts.
• You can start with these search settings:
  • Under "Agency/Offices," select Department of Health and Human Services, then the National Institutes of Health.
  • Then click the "Show/Update Office Locations for Selected Agencies" button. That opens a new menu; choose "National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."
  • Under "Documents to Search" you may want to choose "Both" to get the most complete list.
  • Under "Opportunity/Procurement Type," choose "Award Notice."
• After that, use whatever search settings you prefer to narrow the list.

Where is the NIAID contracting office located?

For the mailing address, go to Contact Information; also find Directions to Our Office.

How do I find NIAID contracting staff?

Go to Office of Acquisitions on the DEA contacts list. For RFP-specific questions, see the contacts listed in the RFP.

Can an independent contractor be the PI on a grant application?

Yes. Read more at Can an independent contractor be the PI on a grant application? on our NIAID Grant Awards questions and answers page.

What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?

Email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. We answer questions by email and post them here. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.