2026 - 2029 HERD & FFRDC Survey

The National Science Foundation Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support is seeking qualified vendors to support the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics in conducting the Higher Education Research and Development Survey and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers R&D Survey for fiscal years 2026-2029. The contractor will be responsible for collecting comprehensive data on research and development expenditures and activities at universities, colleges, and federally funded R&D centers, with critical responsibilities including conducting annual surveys with a targeted 95% response rate, developing and maintaining survey instruments, managing data collection and processing, editing and imputing data, and creating data tables and publications. Qualified respondents must demonstrate capabilities in national-level data collection, federal data dissemination, internet-based data collection instruments, survey staff expertise, experience with financial and R&D accounting at higher education institutions, and sophisticated database management practices. The National Science Foundation will evaluate responses based on vendor qualifications and capabilities as demonstrated in the 5-page response document, and interested vendors may be contacted for additional information or due diligence sessions. The deadline for submitting responses to this Sources Sought notice is Monday, January 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET to Derek Bowks at dbowks@nsf.gov.

This pre-solicitation notice contains no set-aside designation for small businesses or other socioeconomic categories, although NSF encourages responses from all qualified businesses with special emphasis on small businesses. The contract will span from August 1, 2026 through April 30, 2031, consisting of a base period and two option periods, providing a multi-year engagement for the successful contractor. The anticipated NAICS code is 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) with a size standard of $24.5 million, though no specific award value or budget range is disclosed in this pre-solicitation phase. Key deliverables include detailed methodology reports, data repository files, public use files, and an interactive data tool, along with support for methodological research and ad hoc analyses. Responses must be submitted in concise format using 12-point Times Roman font, exclude generic marketing materials and cost information, and include relevant references demonstrating relevant experience.