NIH Professional, Scientific and Technical Support Services
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) is soliciting proposals for Professional, Scientific and Technical Support Services (PSTSS) to support its current and emerging research priorities. This Multiple Award Indefinite Quantity (MA IDIQ) contract seeks specialized scientific expertise across various research domains. Proposals are due by May 8, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET.
Scope of Work
This opportunity requires specialized scientific and professional expertise for basic, translational, and clinical research; vaccine research and development; general laboratory research at BSL-2, -3, and -4; veterinary and scientific research in ABSL-2, -3, and -4 environments; and bioinformatics and computational biology. Services will support new and in-progress research projects, program deployment, clinical trials, and international research efforts, including responses to global health crises.
Contract Details
- Type: Multiple Award Indefinite Quantity (MA IDIQ)
- Ceiling: $3,000,000,000 (total portfolio across all contracts)
- Minimum Guarantee: $2,000 per IDIQ contract
- Period of Performance: September 15, 2026, through September 14, 2031, with an option to extend to March 14, 2032.
- Place of Performance: Bethesda, MD, and potentially other locations as specified in task orders.
Set-Aside & Eligibility
This is an unrestricted competition (not set-aside for small business), with FAR 52.219-31 (Notice of Small Business Reserve) applying. The NAICS Code is 541990 (Other Professional Services) with a small business size standard of $19.5 million. Offerors must be registered in SAM prior to award.
Submission & Evaluation
Proposals are due May 8, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET and must be submitted electronically via the eCPS website. Offers will be valid for 120 days. Evaluation will prioritize technical factors (experience, past performance), with cost/price also being important. Security requirements include background investigations (Tier 2S). Offerors must acknowledge all amendments.
Key Updates & Amendments
Multiple amendments have been issued, primarily to provide responses to offeror questions, clarify Attachment 10 (Table of Labor Rates and Unit Prices), and extend the proposal due date. The final due date is May 8, 2026. Amendment 007 specifically clarified hours for the 'Biologist 5' labor category in Attachment 10, emphasizing that hours are illustrative and specific requirements will be at the Task Order level.