Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Incorporated

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Incorporated (ORAU), doing business as Orau, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization and consortium of over 120 Ph.D.-granting universities headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The organization provides comprehensive scientific research, technical assistance, education, and workforce development services to multiple federal agencies across diverse scientific and technical domains. ORAU leverages its extensive academic network to deliver specialized solutions in areas including health physics, environmental research, materials science, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing. As a research-focused nonprofit, ORAU maintains a demonstrated track record of supporting federal agencies' complex technical and scientific requirements through both prime and subcontract arrangements.

ORAU has executed prime federal contract awards totaling approximately $69.9 million across multiple federal agencies, with no small business set-aside designations applied to any major awards, reflecting the organization's established competitive positioning and technical capabilities. The most significant prime contract is a $57.75 million cost-plus-award-fee definitive contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for dose reconstruction services, scheduled for completion by March 29, 2026, performed at ORAU's Oak Ridge, Tennessee facility. ORAU also holds a $8.16 million delivery order from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for health physics training services extending through November 30, 2030, and a $2.04 million delivery order from the CDC for continuity of operations support services through September 26, 2029. Additional contract work includes peer and merit review services valued at $291,951.12 for the Science and Technology Directorate's Department of Homeland Security, CHEMPACK web-based applications and technical support valued at $1.43 million for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, peer review services for the Veterans Affairs valued at $421,321.73, and specialized personal services for the International Development Finance Corporation valued at $1.13 million. ORAU has also performed work under delivery orders from the Environmental Protection Agency for environmental research, the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service for forestry laboratory support, and the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management for safety culture evaluations. Subcontract awards have been issued by Triad National Security, LLC, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, and Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC for various specialized services including radiological sampling and office laboratory work.

ORAU has received substantial federal grant funding through cooperative agreements, predominantly under the Department of Defense's Basic Scientific Research Program (CFDA 12.431) and related research development and engineering initiatives. Recent cooperative agreement awards total over $5.5 million and focus on advanced research areas including artificial intelligence and machine learning, photonic integrated circuits, neuromorphic computing, materials science, quantum computing, robotics, biotechnology, and synthetic biology applications. Notable research partnerships include work with West Point Military Academy on soldier-robot communication analysis, human-autonomy teaming, and nutrition for precision health; collaboration with the Department of Defense's Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) on diverse research projects including PFAS thermal degradation characterization, humans in complex systems, mechanical sciences, energy sciences, electromagnetic spectrum sciences, photonics and quantum sciences, extreme materials characterization, intelligent systems development, military information sciences, and pulsed power terminal effects research. ORAU has also received grant awards from the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program for comprehensive earthquake preparedness initiatives. Grant awards support both fundamental research associateship programs and industry-sponsored internship and apprenticeship initiatives, frequently involving individual postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers. Subgrant awards have been issued by the University of Tennessee for workforce development in emerging energy science and technology, General Atomics for technical services, Northwestern University for toxicity evaluation following internal radionuclide contamination, and the National Association of County and City Health Officials for harm reduction communication strategies and public health emergency response capacity building.

ORAU currently holds three significant federal contract indefinite delivery vehicles providing flexible long-term contracting authority across multiple agencies. The primary vehicle is a $999,999,999,999.00 multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under the One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus (OASIS+) Unrestricted program awarded by the General Services Administration's Federal Acquisition Service on December 17, 2024, with performance extending through December 16, 2029. This comprehensive MAC vehicle enables ORAU to provide technical support and integrated services across civilian and defense agencies without small business set-aside restrictions, leveraging the organization's extensive academic network and technical expertise to deliver solutions spanning dose reconstruction, safety culture evaluations, peer and merit review services, and specialized technical investigations. ORAU also maintains a $898,770.57 single-award Blanket Purchase Agreement with the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security, awarded September 29, 2025 and extending through October 28, 2028, for peer and merit review services under the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracting vehicle. Additionally, ORAU holds a $600,000.00 single-award Blanket Purchase Agreement with the Science and Technology Directorate awarded February 8, 2023 and expiring February 2, 2026, also for peer review and merit support services under the MAS program. These IDV vehicles position ORAU to respond rapidly to federal agency requirements for specialized scientific evaluation, technical support, and research services across multiple domains.