Organization For Tropical Studies, Inc.

Organization For Tropical Studies, Inc. is a non-profit organization headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, registered in SAM.gov since 2003 and specializing in tropical research and education initiatives. The organization primarily engages with federal agencies through membership dues, research projects, and collaborative scientific endeavors focused on tropical ecosystems and biodiversity. As a tax-exempt corporate entity, it provides critical scientific services to federal agencies, with a particular emphasis on research, education, and knowledge dissemination in tropical studies environments.

Through federal contract awards, Organization For Tropical Studies, Inc. has consistently worked with the Smithsonian Institution, specifically its Office of the Chief Financial Officer, to provide annual membership dues. These purchase order contracts, valued at $10,188 annually from fiscal years 2020-2025, support the Smithsonian's programs and initiatives in tropical studies. The contracts are firm fixed price arrangements with no specific set-aside designations, demonstrating a stable, long-term relationship with the federal agency. While the contracts primarily represent membership support, they underscore the organization's ongoing commitment to advancing scientific research and knowledge in tropical environments.

In terms of federal grant awards, Organization For Tropical Studies, Inc. has been involved in specialized research projects, such as the Bird Banding Project in Costa Rica, which runs from September 2023 to December 2025. The organization has also participated in sub-grant work, collaborating with institutions like the University of California Santa Cruz. In these sub-grant roles, they provide critical administrative and logistical support, including hiring and payroll management for local staff, managing in-country research expenses, facilitating transportation to field sites, and assisting with research permit acquisitions. These grant activities highlight the organization's expertise in international scientific research, particularly in tropical ecological studies, and its ability to serve as a crucial operational partner in complex, multi-institutional research endeavors.