Mdrc

Mdrc is a nonprofit research organization headquartered in New York City that specializes in designing, evaluating, and supporting social programs aimed at improving the well-being of low-income individuals and families. Founded with a mission to enhance evidence-based policymaking, Mdrc provides rigorous research, evaluation, technical assistance, and data analysis services to multiple federal agencies across domains such as education, employment, child and family welfare, and social policy. The organization operates as a tax-exempt corporate entity registered in SAM.gov and has been consistently awarded federal contract and grant vehicles that enable it to support government agencies in developing and assessing innovative programs.

Through its federal contract awards, Mdrc has delivered extensive research and evaluation services across multiple agencies. The organization has worked with the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to conduct impact studies on strategies to accelerate math learning, evaluate career pathway programs, and assess student outcomes in low-performing schools. The Administration for Children and Families has engaged Mdrc to generate knowledge about family support services, provide technical assistance for responsible fatherhood programs, and support data transformation initiatives for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Other contract work has included housing assistance program evaluations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and workforce development research for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy. Mdrc consistently operates as a prime contractor without set-aside designations and frequently collaborates with subcontractors like Public Strategies, Inc., Mathematica Inc., and various research institutions.

Mdrc's federal grant awards demonstrate a similar depth of research expertise, primarily focusing on education and social policy research. The organization has received numerous grants from the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct studies on postsecondary education, including research on rural education, college re-enrollment strategies, and randomized controlled trials to improve student outcomes. The National Institute of Justice has funded Mdrc to conduct criminal justice research, such as evaluating hospital-based violence intervention programs and exploring diversion strategies for mental health crises. Other grant work has involved developing research methodologies, investigating economic mobility, and analyzing long-term outcomes of employment and education programs. Mdrc frequently partners with academic institutions like New York University, University of California Irvine, and Columbia University as sub-grantees to enhance its research capabilities.

Mdrc holds several significant federal contract Indefinite Delivery Vehicles (IDVs) that enable streamlined procurement of its research services. These include a $50 million multiple-award IDC with the Institute of Education Sciences for evaluating career pathway programs, a $99 million Blanket Purchase Agreement with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy for workforce development research, and an $8.5 million Federal Supply Schedule contract with the General Services Administration. These IDVs allow various federal agencies to quickly task Mdrc with specialized research projects without going through extensive procurement processes. The contracts cover a wide range of services, including program evaluations, technical assistance, data analysis, and evidence-based policy research across education, employment, and social welfare domains. Task orders have been issued by agencies such as the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administration for Children and Families, demonstrating the broad applicability and trusted expertise of Mdrc's research services.