NSRI briefed regents on UARC role and new IDIQ contract that could bring up to $500 million to University of Nebraska

Major General Rick Evans, executive director of the National Strategic Research Institute, told the University of Nebraska Board of Regents on April 24 that NSRI had renewed its University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) designation and been awarded a fourth indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract that could enable "up to $500 million in research over the next decade." Evans described the UARC as a long-term strategic partnership with the Department of Defense that connects university faculty and students to national-security research needs.

The briefing framed NSRI as a systemwide institute that provides mission-funded research, access to national-security decision-makers, and campus engagement. Evans said the UARC model emphasizes performance and rapid response, noting that "this new contract enables up to $500 million in research over the next decade, making it the largest research contract in the University of Nebraska's history" and that NSRI has executed roughly $193 million in research to date and maintains about 20 active projects.

Regents pressed on two recurring concerns: civilian benefits and the predictability of funding. Evans said the Defense Department is increasingly encouraging UARCs to translate technical work for non-military use and to partner with industry. He also explained that the NSRI generally works through cost-reimbursable contracts tied to deliverables and monthly progress metrics, which differs from typical grant processes and can provide steady multi-year funding for eligible projects.

Evans highlighted research examples tied to the new contract, including a Defense Health Agency investment of about $35 million in work on a pre-treatment therapeutic for acute radiation syndrome that involves University of Nebraska–Lincoln and University of Nebraska Medical Center faculty and students. He described other NSRI efforts that pair university labs and NSRI staff on topics such as electromagnetic spectrum operations and AI-enabled cyber-physical networking.

President Gold framed the award as a system success, noting the contract reflects both sponsor confidence and extensive campus contributions. He said the contract and designation strengthen the university's national positioning and that regents' advocacy and institutional support will be important to capitalize on those opportunities.

Evans warned that awards are not guaranteed year to year and that maintenance of the UARC designation requires continued performance: "we must maintain the UARC designation. This is something that must be continuously earned because it's renewed and reviewed every 5 years," he said. The presentation closed with regents thanking Evans and asking staff to continue work that expands campus engagement and responsibly manages the new contract opportunities.