Boise State University

Boise State University, doing business as Starbucks Licensed Store, is a U.S. state government educational institution and comprehensive public research university based in Boise, Idaho, that functions as a federal research grant recipient—not a federal contractor—delivering specialized scientific research, advanced analytical services, and workforce development programming across 160 federal agencies. The university competes exclusively in full-and-open federal research funding and does not hold federal contract vehicles; it operates as a prime recipient on grants and cooperative agreements rather than through procurement contracting relationships.

The university's federal footprint centers on research and education rather than goods or services procurement. Core capability areas grounded in recent awards span geosciences and geochronology (volcanic tephra and zircon dating analysis via laser ablation and thermal ionization mass spectrometry for the U.S. Geological Survey), Earth systems science and climate adaptation (snow water equivalent data collection, wildfire impacts assessment, soil burn severity prediction using remote sensing and machine learning), biomedical research including matrix biology and infant biomechanics, materials science and semiconductor technology development, quantum computing and artificial intelligence, wildlife ecology and conservation genomics, and STEM education and workforce development. Representative prime grants include a $16.0 million NIH Construction Support award to build the Lifelong Interdisciplinary Movement, Biomechanics, and Respiration Center; a $1.875 million NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership cooperative agreement to operate the Idaho MEP Center serving small and medium manufacturers; a $7.46 million NSF EPSCOR CREST award for semiconductor research and education; and a $3.999 million NSF Integrative Activities award for wildfire management and ecosystem resilience research. The university also holds an Indefinite Delivery Contract with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for infant biomechanics research and expert witness services valued at approximately $973 thousand across multiple task orders.

Customer concentration reveals heavy reliance on research agencies. The National Science Foundation leads with 255 awards across programs spanning geosciences, mathematics, engineering, biological sciences, and STEM education. NASA's Shared Services Center accounts for 120 awards and $15.3 million combined potential value, focused on Earth science applications, space weather, planetary science, and lunar exploration research. The Department of Interior ranks third via the U.S. Geological Survey (32 awards, $146 thousand combined potential value) and Fish and Wildlife Service Region 1 (22 awards, $124 thousand), primarily supporting geological and conservation research. The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education placed 51 awards centered on student support services, teacher preparation, and workforce development programs. The top five agencies account for roughly 38% of recent award count but only 56% of combined potential value, reflecting the university's diversified grantor base across fundamental research, applied research, and educational missions. Recent activity shows 124 awards in 2024, declining to 30 through mid-2026, with 121 awards facing completion in the next twenty-four months and thus representing recompete opportunity totaling $4.8 million.

As a research institution, Boise State pursues no set-asides and competes in the general federal marketplace. The university's sub-award footprint shows it participates as a sub-recipient on larger collaborative research projects—recent examples include roles in the University of Washington-led Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, the Idaho State University-led Healthy Idaho Clinical and Translational Research Development Program, and the University of New Mexico-led wildfire research initiative—but the university does not subcontract to external vendors for research delivery. The university's single named contract vehicle, the CPSC Indefinite Delivery Contract, reflects its niche as a specialized research and expert-witness provider in human biomechanics and infant safety rather than traditional procurement.