Health R&D Services; Consumer And Occupational Health And Safety; Applied Research

The PSC Category AN32 encompasses Health Research and Development Services, specifically focusing on consumer and occupational health and safety applied research. This category supports specialized scientific investigations that address critical health-related challenges, including human performance studies, medical imaging research, and safety technology evaluations. The research spans diverse domains such as firefighter protective equipment, neurological studies, medical imaging techniques, and consumer product safety assessments.

The federal contract awards under this PSC category demonstrate a range of research initiatives with values typically between $66,000 and $1,000,000, and performance periods extending up to five years. Federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are prominent funders. Frequently awarded entities include universities and research institutions such as Arizona State University, Northeastern State University, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Research Triangle Institute. Most contracts are firm fixed-price with no specific small business set-aside, indicating open competition across different research organizations.

The federal contract opportunities in this PSC category involve specialized research services with unique technical requirements. The CDC has issued a sole-source notice for a manikin evaluation of firefighter turnout gear thermal protection at Northeastern State University, while the CPSC is seeking a sole-source award to Arizona State University for a human bathtub slip resistance study. These opportunities emphasize highly specialized research services that require specific technical capabilities, advanced testing facilities, and domain-specific expertise in areas like occupational safety, medical technology, and consumer product performance testing.