NIH Laboratory Animal Research Support (LARC IV)

The National Institutes of Health awarded a Master IDIQ on July 25, 2019 to provide technical and logistical support services for laboratory animal care and research programs, with ordering closed as of August 11, 2024. The vehicle is no longer accepting new orders, having reached its ceiling date nearly two years ago. Task-order activity has continued post-closure, with awards issued through March 2026 against the remaining obligated balance.

The vehicle funds animal care, husbandry, veterinary services, facility sanitation, equipment maintenance, research support, and administrative and training services across multiple NIH institutes and centers. A shared ceiling of $416.1 million was established at vehicle award, with task-order potential value reaching $474 million across 336 orders. To date, $272.8 million (58 percent) of combined task-order potential value has been obligated. Recent ordering momentum is sparse: the vehicle issued 43 orders in 2022, dropped to 2 in 2023, then 8 in 2024, 2 in 2025, and 9 through early 2026, signaling a steep decline in new task-order activity.

Competition is highly concentrated. Priority One Services, Inc. and JS Technology, Inc. dominate the awardee base, holding $239.4 million and $177.6 million in combined potential value respectively across 105 and 160 orders. Fefa, LLC trails at $37.4 million across 45 orders. Three remaining primes—Alpha Omega Biotechnology Services LLC and MPF Federal, LLC—together account for less than $20 million. These two firms capture roughly 87 percent of all potential value under the vehicle.

Funding is concentrated within the NIH Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations ($339.9 million across 179 orders), which procures on behalf of downstream NIH institutes. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is the next-largest customer by order count (123 orders), though by potential value the Office of the Director places third at $55.6 million. Task-order values cluster in the low-to-mid millions; recent 2026 orders show ceilings ranging from $2.1 million to $67.2 million with durations of one to five years. Most orders use Time and Materials or Firm Fixed Price pricing.

Set-aside activity is minimal: 82 percent of orders carry no set-aside designation, 18 percent are Partial Small Business, and 1 percent (2 orders) are Total Small Business. Place of performance concentrates at NIH's Bethesda campus and subordinate facilities, particularly Building 49 (Central Animal Facility), though orders span multiple institutes nationwide.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a Master IDIQ to provide a wide range of technical and support services required for the proper care and use of laboratory animals for NIH animal programs.