National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, is the steward of medical and behavioral research for the nation. The NIH mission is science in the pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.
ORF Overview
The Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations (ORF) was created in April 2003 to provide a single point of accountability for all NIH facility activities, to streamline information flow, and to facilitate decision making on research and research support facility issues.
The primary responsibilities of the Office of Research Facilities are:
- Planning, developing, and managing NIH owned and leased facilities;
- Assisting the NIH Director with the formulation and execution of the Buildings and Facilities appropriation;
- Developing and maintaining policies and standards governing the development and use of real property;
- Planning and directing facilities-related service;
- Protecting and enhancing the NIH environment;
- Providing centralized acquisition services for architecture, engineering, and construction contracting, as well as real property purchase and lease activities.
The Office of Research Facilities is comprised of Office of the Director (301-594-0999) and five functional divisions. Dan Wheeland is the current Director.
Division of Facilities Planning (DFP)
Director, Ron Wilson (301-435-0025)
- Master and facilities planning
- Space allocation planning and management
- B&F budget plan formulation
- Real property and census data systems management
- Agency and community planning coordination
- Site coordination
- Transportation and environmental planning
Division of Property Management (DPM)
Director, Robert McDonald (301-496-6186)
- Safe and efficient operation of NIH leased and owned real property
- Comprehensive facility management program
- Predictive, preventive, and emergency maintenance program
- Construction management program to support alterations, renovations, and repairs
- Provision of utilities to NIH owned facilities
Office of Acquisitions, ORF (OA-ORF)
Director, Melissa Richardson (301-402-0878)
- Architecture, engineering, construction contracts
- Real property purchase, disposition, and leasing
- Small purchases
Division of Technical Resources (DTR)
Director, Farhad Memarzadeh (301-496-8746)
- Provide policies, standards and guidelines for NIH owned and leased facilities.
- Ensure ORF operations conform to applicable regulations, codes, standards and guidelines.
- Develop suitable performance management methods to evaluate, improve and enhance delivery of facilities.
- Provide ORF staff training to ensure effective implementation of policies and procedures to deliver quality facilities.
- Prepare the facilities section of the NIH Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Plan.
Division of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Director, William (Kenny) Floyd (301-496-3537)
- Environmental protection
- Pollution control
- Waste management and resource conservation
- Environmental assessments
Publications
- NIH Design Policy and Guidelines—The goal of the NIH Design Policy and Guidelines is to ensure the quality of design and construction of NIH state-of-the-art facilities that are vital to the health care of all Americans. NIH Design Policy and Guidelines establish policy, design standards, and technical criteria for use in programming, designing, and constructing new buildings, and major and minor alterations for the NIH.
- Bioenvironmental Studies—The Office of Research Facilities collaborates on bioenvironmental research to improve indoor air quality and save energy in biomedical laboratories and animal research facilities. The Principal Investigator for Research Facilities is Farhad Memarzadeh. The results of these studies have been cited and, in many cases, adopted as national and international standards for labs and hospitals.
- NIH Waste Disposal Guide—This Guide provides information on the way NIH handles recycling and disposal of different types of waste including general, chemical, multihazardous, radioactive, and medical pathological waste.
