ABL’s Government Business – What is it and how does it work?

Congratulations on your new role at ABL!  Tell us about the company.

Thank you. This is an exciting new opportunity for me after working with ABL for nearly 24 years. I’m fortunate to have been provided with opportunities for growth in the organization and to have had excellent mentors to support me along the way.

ABL, as a company, has been around for over 60 years. It is a member of the Institut Mérieux family of companies which includes bioMérieux, one of the largest in-vitro diagnostic manufacturers in the world. Today, ABL has two business units. One is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that specializes in the cGMP bioproduction of viral products. The other, our Government Solutions group, specializes in providing scientific and program support to address the needs of our government clients and partners.

This Government Solutions group sounds unique.  How does it work with the government today? 

Indeed, it is a unique group and an uncommon offering for a company of our size. ABL has supported the government as a provider of contract scientific research services since our inception in 1961 and, more recently (over the last 20 years), expanded our expertise to include GMP production of products for clinical testing.

The way the government engages with contractors like ABL has evolved over time and I’m pleased to say that ABL has progressed alongside our counterparts. Today, the government can engage with our business through various avenues, one being an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Winning an IDIQ contract grants the company a “seat at the table” for a fixed period, in our case 7 years. Only those companies that have a seat can bid on any work that may be requested by the government. Individual projects are awarded to us as “task orders” and the objective is to win as many task orders as possible.

How is winning an IDIQ contract an advantage for a business like ABL?

Again, winning an IDIQ contract secures a “seat at the table”.  Sometimes, there are 50 other seats at the table and other times there are only 2, which means that competition can vary greatly from contract to contract. From our experience, IDIQ seats are typically awarded to 3-5 companies, giving us a high chance of winning task orders, which is the level at which project scope and funding are awarded. The government business provides a steady flow of work for ABL which can be extremely valuable when the CDMO business becomes unpredictable.

How successful has ABL been in this government business? 

In 2023, ABL was awarded two new IDIQ contracts with NIH that have a total potential value of $110M. These awards bring ABL’s total active IDIQ contract awards to 9, totaling a potential value of $1.2B. Keeping in mind that the IDIQ values represent the maximum potential of a contract, ABL strives to win as much of that potential value as possible through task order awards.

In 2023, ABL also won 7 new task orders/projects in 2023 across different agencies with NIH with a total funding of $28.6M.

What kind of projects are funded by these Task Orders?

Government contracts cover a wide range of projects, but ABL primarily focuses on the manufacturing of products for early phase clinical testing. These could include the cGMP production of a broadly neutralizing antibody to treat or prevent HIV infection; production of a cancer vaccine; formulation of a microbicide to prevent sexually transmitted diseases; or manufacturing of enzyme replacements- to name a few.

How many people are in the Government Solutions group?  What specific skills or expertise do they have? 

This core group consists of a little over 20 people and comprises scientists, project and financial managers, quality assurance, as well as government contracting specialists. Our scientists are knowledgeable in several key subject areas including virology, immunology, vaccinology, biochemistry, product development and process development. Everyone in the group brings their own expertise that creates a synergistic team able to successfully execute highly complex and demanding projects.

What do the contracts involve? 

Most of ABL’s contracts involve supporting an innovator in advancing their product to the next stage of the development pathway – no matter where they may currently be. The innovators are identified by NIH and need a team of experts to guide them through the process. This requires knowledgeable ABL scientists and program managers, who can assemble and lead a group of both internal and external collaborators to carry out the scope of work, which most often results in delivery of a drug substance or drug product for toxicology studies or clinical use.

So ABL does not perform all the work in house?

While some projects are executed using in-house capabilities, the diversity of government-requested projects prompts ABL to maintain a like-minded network of vendors – a Collaboratory – covering a broad range of project needs that the government seeks. Today, ABL’s Collaboratory has over 50 vendors in the United States and Europe.

Why did the NIH choose ABL over the competition? Why were the contracts renewed? 

ABL focuses on providing the best solutions for the client when establishing our technical approach. This involves identifying and partnering with the very best experts for each technology and subject area – regardless of whether this expertise is within ABL or with one of our Collaboratory partners. I believe that our commitment to the best scientific solutions available, our willingness and ability to team up with key specialists and our experience creating and managing complex project teams are what sets us apart.

Does the Government Solutions group only work on IDIQ contracts?

ABL also works with innovators who seek partnerships to apply for various other government grants or contracts. In these cases, the innovator is in search of a partner who can provide the translational solutions required to bring their product to early clinical testing. This could be whatever is required for their product program including cGMP production, IND-enabling animal studies, analytical development, etc.

If someone wants to speak to or engage your Government Solutions group, how can they  contact them? 

They can send a request to us at info@ablinc.com or fill out the Contact Us form on our website https://ablinc.com/about-abl/contact-us/.