Modification to Extend Services for Scientific, Operations and Administrative Resources (SOAR) Contract Program
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a presolicitation notice for a non-competitive modification to extend services for the Scientific, Operations and Administrative Resources (SOAR) Contract Program. This extension is necessary to maintain critical scientific professional services while NIH finalizes its strategy for a future competitive follow-on acquisition. Responses challenging the sole-source justification for the extension are due by March 5, 2026, 5:00 PM EST.
Scope of Work
The SOAR program provides specialized scientific professional services to support NIH's operational objectives, including new and in-progress research projects, program deployment, and implementation. These services are crucial for conducting biomedical research, supporting all 29 NIH organizations (including Institutes, Centers, and ARPA-H), and require highly specialized labor categories such as Bioinformatics Scientists, Statisticians, and Clinical Research Coordinators.
Contract & Timeline
- Opportunity Type: Presolicitation (Non-Competitive Extension)
- Current Contracts: Five Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contracts (75N95021D00010, 75N95021D00011, 75N95021D00012, 75N95021D00013, 75N95021D00019) held by Axle Informatics LLC, GAP Solutions, Inc., Kelly Services, Inc., Guidehouse Digital LLC, and 22nd Century Technologies, Inc.
- Combined Max Value: $3,600,713,546 (unchanged by extension).
- Estimated Remaining Value: $2,174,615,674 (as of Jan 8, 2026).
- Extension Purpose: Extend the parent IDIQ ordering period by 12 months (June 22, 2026 – June 21, 2027) with two 6-month options (ending June 21, 2028). Also, revise FAR 52.216-22 to allow task orders to extend up to 36 months past the extended IDIQ ordering period.
- Set-Aside: None (non-competitive extension).
- Award Projection: Extension modifications projected for April 2026.
- Response Due: March 5, 2026, 5:00 PM EST.
- Published: February 18, 2026.
Rationale for Non-Competitive Extension
The extension is justified under FAR 6.103-1 (Only one responsible source) due to an ongoing critical need for services and the unique qualifications of current contract holders. Transitioning to new vendors for this interim period would be inefficient, disruptive to research, and jeopardize millions in active research efforts, impacting NIH's mission to advance biomedical research and public health. This extension provides the minimum time needed for HHS and NIH to finalize their strategy for a competitive follow-on requirement.
Action Items
Interested parties may submit responses to challenge the non-competitive basis of this extension or express interest and capability for the future competitive follow-on requirement. Responses must include DUNS, UEIN, business size certification, and active SAM registration. Submissions should be sent electronically to Robin Knightly (Robin.Knightly@nih.gov) and Kyle Miller (Kyle.Miller2@nih.gov).