Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

SMART IRB Governance, Administration, and Operations Support (GAOS)

Department of Health and Human Services · National Institutes of Health

AI summaryThe National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its NIDA contracting office for the National Center for Translational Sciences (NCATS), as the notice names it, wants a partner to run and grow the SMART IRB program (solicitation 75N98026Q00287). The work covers user administration, workflow improvements, content and requirements gathering across the SMARTIRB.org website, Joinder and the Online Reliance System. The response due date is November 13, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern, and the details are in the attached request for quotation (RFQ). More in the summary

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Written by AI from the notice text. Check dates on SAM.gov.

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its NIDA contracting office for the National Center for Translational Sciences (NCATS), as the notice names it, wants a partner to run and grow the SMART IRB program (solicitation 75N98026Q00287). The work covers user administration, workflow improvements, content and requirements gathering across the SMARTIRB.org website, Joinder and the Online Reliance System. The response due date is November 13, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern, and the details are in the attached request for quotation (RFQ).

Things to watch

From the version posted Oct 28, 2026.

Worth checking: Details only in the attached RFQ. The notice text gives background only; the statement of work, evaluation and submission rules are in the attachment.
Worth checking: Set-aside not stated. SAM.gov shows no set-aside, so small businesses may compete with large firms.
Minor: Expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The buy is larger than a small purchase, so expect a fuller proposal and stronger competition.

Read from the notice text only.

Full summary

What they want

User administration for the SMART IRB (Institutional Review Board: the body that reviews research with human subjects) portfolio of services
Process and workflow improvements
Content development and moderation, including on the SMARTIRB.org website
Requirements gathering for the SMART IRB systems
Dissemination of SMART IRB services
Support for Joinder, where institutions sign the SMART IRB Authorization Agreement, and the Online Reliance System (ORS), where study-by-study reliance arrangements are documented

Place of performance: MD, USA
Estimated value: Not stated
Offers due: November 13, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern

What to include when you submit

Read the attached RFQ 75N98026Q00287 for the full requirements and how to respond.

Not in the notice text

The statement of work (SOW), evaluation method, submission method and contract terms are in the attached RFQ 75N98026Q00287, not the notice text.
Period of performance and contract type are not stated.
Estimated value is not stated.
Whether there is a current contractor supporting SMART IRB is not stated.

Eligibility and how to respond

No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
How and where to submit is in the notice text and its attachments on SAM.gov.
Service contracts usually set minimum pay rates (the Service Contract Act). Price the labor with the SCA price calculator.

Notice details

Posted: Oct 28, 2026
Notice type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Office: National Institutes of Health NIDA, Bethesda, MD
Product/service code: R499 · Support – Professional: Other
Business type: Consulting & professional services (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541990)
Attachments: Checking SAM.gov for this notice's files…
See attachments on SAM.gov

Past awards and competition

Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.

Before you respond

Terms on this notice: Solicitation

Full notice text from SAM.gov

Title: SMART IRB Governance, Administration, and Operations Support (GAOS) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items/services prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12— Acquisition of Commercial Items; and is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Introduction and Background Objectives The National Center for Translational Sciences (NCATS) requires a partner to facilitate user administration, process/workflow improvements, content development/moderation, requirements gathering, and dissemination of the SMART IRB (Streamlined, Multisite, Accelerated Resources for Trials Institutional Review Board) portfolio of services. SMART IRB relies on three systems: (1) the SMARTIRB.org website which is used for content distribution, notification, and educational purposes, (2) Joinder, through which institutions enter institutional information and sign the SMART IRB Authorization Agreement (AA), and (3) the Online Reliance System (ORS), through which Institutional Review Board (IRB) reliance arrangements under the SMART IRB Agreement are documented on a study-by-study basis. The selected partner will provide support in accordance with this SOW to aid in the facilitation and growth of SMART IRB. Please see the attached RFQ 75N98026Q00287 for more details

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