University Of Delaware

University of Delaware, a private 1862 land-grant research institution headquartered in Newark, Delaware, receives federal research grants and contracts across a portfolio spanning fundamental science, applied research, and educational initiatives as a prime recipient and subrecipient—not as a federal contractor competing for commercial procurements. The institution competes exclusively full-and-open; no set-aside designations apply to its federal work.

The portfolio reflects a comprehensive research enterprise. Over the past five years (2022–2026), the University of Delaware received 1,052 prime federal awards across contracts and grants, with combined potential value of $301.8 million and combined obligated dollars of $4.21 billion (reflecting multi-year research grants and cooperative agreements). SCI-reportable service contract invoicing totaled $847 thousand across FY2022–FY2024, representing a narrow slice of the institution's federal research revenue; government-paid rates on SCI contracts ranged from a 10th percentile of $80.42/hr to a 90th percentile of $160.58/hr, with a median of $116.08/hr. The institution also holds 407 subrecipient positions on federal grants and contracts, with NSF, NASA, USDA-NIFA, DoD, DoE, and NIH institutes as primary grantor agencies.

Research concentration reflects the institution's land-grant mission. NSF leads by award count (831 awards), followed by USDA-NIFA (291 awards) and NASA Shared Services Center (230 awards, $58.3 million combined potential value). By dollar magnitude, NASA Shared Services Center ranks highest ($58.3 million), followed by ONR ($22.6 million across 72 awards) and NOAA ($5.4 million across 125 awards). Across these three customers, the institution accounts for 37% of award count and 30% of combined potential value. The portfolio spans 231 distinct federal agencies, indicating broad engagement rather than customer concentration.

Named prime contract vehicles include a $15.35 million TACOM Life Cycle Management Command Other Transaction IDV (multiple-award, no specified completion date) and scattered IDIQs with task-order activity totaling under $2 million. The institution operates no GWACs or GSA Schedules in the source data; its federal work routes through grant and cooperative-agreement mechanisms rather than commercial contract vehicles.

Representative prime awards illustrate the breadth. A $3.41 million NASA cooperative agreement (March 2025–March 2029) supports STEM engagement workforce development. A $2.57 million NIGMS Phase I Center of Biomedical Research Excellence award (June 2025–February 2030) establishes a Multiscale Biomolecular Sensing Research Core. A $3.32 million NSF E-RISE RII grant (July 2025–June 2029) investigates saltwater intrusion in Delaware's coastal environment through multidisciplinary research. A $18.17 million Federal Railroad Administration grant (December 2025–October 2029) funds a Center for Hands-On Training and Learning Environment for railroad workforce development. A $2.12 million USDA NIFA Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships award (September 2025–September 2028) supports the Northeast Center for Risk Management Education administering subgrants across thirteen states. These awards span environmental science, STEM education, life sciences, engineering, and workforce development—reflective of a comprehensive land-grant research institution rather than a vendor specializing in defense, IT, or commercial services.

Recompete exposure is moderate. Three hundred awards (combined potential value $22.4 million) reach completion within the next twenty-four months, constituting 6.5% of the total award portfolio by count and 7.4% by potential value. Activity has remained steady: 233 awards in 2022, 239 in 2023, 315 in 2024, 249 in 2025, and 56 through November 2026 (year-to-date). The institutional trajectory shows consistent federal research engagement with slight growth in 2024 followed by a normalized 2025 pace.

As a research university rather than a federal contractor, the University of Delaware does not compete for commercial federal procurements, does not hold SBA designations, and does not operate as a prime or subcontractor in the traditional sense. Its federal relationship is structured as a grant recipient and collaborative research partner, with the institution's role defined by its scientific and educational mission rather than by acquisition competitiveness or set-aside positioning.