The Pennsylvania State University

The Pennsylvania State University, a major public land-grant research institution located in University Park, Pennsylvania, is one of the nation's premier federal contractors and grantees. Penn State provides extensive research, technical, and educational services to the federal government across defense, scientific discovery, and public health domains. As a comprehensive research university with expertise spanning materials science, engineering, quantum computing, agricultural innovation, and interdisciplinary scientific research, Penn State delivers sophisticated technical solutions and cutting-edge research support that advance national priorities in defense, energy, health, and environmental sustainability.

Penn State's federal contracting portfolio demonstrates substantial engagement with defense and naval agencies through delivery order awards totaling over $250 million in recent fiscal years. The university has executed numerous cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery orders with the Office of Naval Research, Naval Sea Systems Command, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and other Department of Defense entities, supporting advanced research and development initiatives including submarine technology, ceramic transducers, diamond-based photocathodes, cold spray material processing, underwater cable systems, and mine countermeasures systems. Penn State's defense contracts have included significant efforts with the U.S. Marine Corps for condition-based maintenance support and environmental hardening of military systems, as well as specialized work with the Department of the Air Force on advanced research projects designated as "Snakes and Arrows." The university has also provided systems integration and technical support services to the Joint Interagency Task Force South through Army Southern Command contracts. Other contracting agencies include the Defense Threat Reduction Agency for infrasound array performance enhancement, Fleet Cyber Command for cyber defense research, and Naval Air Systems Command for facilities and fleet readiness sustainment. Penn State's contract work predominantly utilizes cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing structures typical of research-intensive efforts, with no set-aside designations, reflecting selection based on technical merit and demonstrated capability. The university also serves as a subcontractor to prime contractors including Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation.

Penn State's federal grant portfolio encompasses over $150 million in active awards spanning fundamental and applied research across diverse scientific domains. The university receives substantial funding from the National Science Foundation across multiple divisions including Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and STEM Education, supporting research in quantum computing, photonics, machine learning, data science, and educational innovation. The Office of Naval Research has funded Penn State research on ceramic transducers for naval applications, synthetic fuels for naval energy security, and high-frequency object scattering model validation. Penn State holds significant grant support from the National Institutes of Health for biomedical research including investigations into estrogen-mediated signaling, neurovascular coupling, pediatric obesity prevention, and complementary medicine applications. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture funds Penn State research on agricultural sustainability, including studies on bumble bee nutrition optimization, cover crop impacts on maize defenses, organic weed management, hemp pest management, and tree fruit production optimization. Additional grant support comes from the Environmental Protection Agency for pollution prevention technical assistance, the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration for bus testing center operations, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health for medicinal plant research, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy for enhanced geothermal systems development. Penn State serves as a prime grantee on major research training initiatives and also participates as a sub-grantee through partnerships with institutions including the University of Maryland, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Indiana University, and Duke University.

Penn State holds a single-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract vehicle with Army Southern Command for JIATF-S (Joint Interagency Task Force South) Systems Support and Maintenance, with a ceiling value of $22.5 million and ultimate completion date of July 31, 2035. This parent contract has generated multiple delivery orders through which Penn State provides systems support, maintenance, and software engineering services for Joint Interagency Task Force South operations. Under this IDV, Penn State delivered a $1.84 million delivery order on a firm fixed-price basis to support JIATF-S capability and in-place programs through July 2026, leveraging Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory expertise in systems engineering and technical support for defense operations. The contract structure allows flexibility for the government to issue additional task orders as operational requirements evolve, and the no set-aside designation indicates Penn State's selection was based on technical merit and capability to deliver sophisticated defense support services. This IDV vehicle exemplifies Penn State's role as a trusted long-term partner for defense agencies requiring sustained technical expertise and systems integration support.