Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Texas A&M Agrilife Research, the research division of The Texas A&M University System, is a state-government-owned 1862 land-grant research institution that delivers agricultural sciences, environmental conservation, biotechnology, and applied research as a prime recipient across federal grants and contracts, competing exclusively in full-and-open procurements with no set-aside designations. The organization operates from College Station, Texas, with subordinate research centers and field stations distributed across Texas and the region, and serves 167 distinct federal agencies through 2,034 prime awards (89% of total) and 246 sub-awards across a $306.4 million combined potential value portfolio spanning 2,280 recent awards.

Texas A&M Agrilife Research's capability portfolio centers on genomic and molecular research, agricultural productivity improvement, animal health and disease management, environmental science, and food safety. Representative prime work includes a $1.26 million definitive contract with the Food and Drug Administration for animal food inspections through 2032; a $810.222 definitive contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity) for validation of automated monitoring technology for reintroduced eastern indigo snakes under the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program; low-pass whole-genome sequencing of cotton accessions for the Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service ($38,379 purchase order, completed September 2026); and technical support for a five-year endangered species status review with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($110,103 purchase order, placed performance in Hawaii). Federal grant work spans the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, NASA, and USDA agencies including NIFA, ARS, and APHIS. Recent grants include $897.798 million from NSF for tidal wetland vulnerability research; $787.642 million from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for coronary heart disease outcomes research in Dallas; $698.387 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for tuberculosis drug combination therapy; and $14.888 million from USDA NIFA under the Hatch Act formula grant program for statewide agricultural research.

Texas A&M Agrilife Research holds a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract (multiple award, $2 million ceiling through August 2029) covering engineering research and development services in biotechnology under SINs 541714 and Order-Level Materials, with labor rates spanning $34.75 per hour for support analyst/graduate assistants to $159.97 per hour for senior systematic review analysts; all positions require bachelor's or master's degree qualification and no security clearances are offered. The labor portfolio emphasizes research scientist, quality control specialist, and research analyst roles across six categories, supporting the organization's research delivery model.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward USDA—the Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service account for 688 awards (30% of prime volume). This concentration reflects the organization's land-grant mission focus on agricultural and food systems research. Top agencies by potential value include the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate ($56.2 million across 35 awards), NASA Shared Services Center ($7.3 million across 36 awards), and USDA FSSIS ($2.8 million across 23 awards). The top five customers by award count represent 44% of the prime award portfolio.

Parent vehicle activity centers on Basic Ordering Agreements and Blanket Purchase Agreements. The HSHQDC10ABOA33 BOA (23 task orders, $15.5 million combined value) and INF17PA00012 BPA (23 task orders, $477 thousand) anchor the largest vehicle positions. The organization maintains ten indefinite delivery contracts and task-order vehicles spanning DHS, USDA, and departmental science initiatives.

Activity has contracted modestly in recent years, from 173 awards in 2024 to 76 awards in 2026 year-to-date. Within the next 24 months, 156 awards (combined potential value $8.4 million) reach ultimate completion date and face recompete exposure.

SCI-reported federal services invoicing totaled $2.3 million across FY2022–FY2025 (13 prime records), with FY2022 the most active year at $1.6 million; the dataset shows minimal sub-engagement (2% of hours across prime contracts) and government-paid median rates around $42/hr, with senior analyst roles reaching $77/hr and higher. The organization staffed 3.1–4.4 FTEs per fiscal year on SCI-reportable contracts, indicating a limited services delivery model relative to the research grants and contract portfolio. The FTE trajectory and invoicing pattern reflect Texas A&M Agrilife Research's primary positioning as a research institution rather than a federal services vendor.

The organization subcontracts selectively; named sub-recipients on recent grants include the University of Illinois (Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation), Colorado State University, University of Florida, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kansas State University, and others, typically contributing specialized research expertise to multistate or collaborative projects. Named subcontractors on prime contracts include ICF Incorporated (water quality standards economic analysis support). Texas A&M Agrilife Research competes as a prime recipient on federal grants and delivers its own research capacity through in-house faculty and personnel rather than building external subcontractor networks on service contracts.