Managing the NIH Bethesda Campus Capital Assets for Success in a Highly Competitive Global Biomedical Research Environment

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in the late 1870s, NIH has produced extraordinary advances in the treatment of common and rare diseases and leads the world in biomedical research. It is a critical national resource that plays an important role in supporting national security. The 310-acre Bethesda campus supports some 20,000 employees and contractors, and it contains more than 12 million square feet of facilities divided amongst nearly 100 buildings, including the largest dedicated research hospital in the world. The Bethesda campus supports some of the most sophisticated and groundbreaking biomedical research in the world. However, while some new state-of-the-art buildings have been constructed in recent years, essential maintenance for many facilities and the campus overall has been consistently deferred for many years. The deteriorating condition of NIH's built environment is now putting its ability to fulfill its mission at substantial risk. Managing the NIH Bethesda Campus's Capital Assets for Success in a Highly Competitive Global Biomedical Research Environment identifies the facilities in greatest need of repair on the Bethesda campus and evaluates cost estimates to determine what investment is needed for the NIH to successfully accomplish its mission going forward. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Global and National Biomedical Research Environment3 NIH Bethesda Campus: Facilities and Activities4 Current Condition5 Current Capital Asset Management at NIH6 NIH Current Approach to Strategic Planning for the Bethesda Campus Buildings and Facilities7 The Future of Capital Planning for the NIH Bethesda Campus8 The Evolving Global Biomedical Research Environment and Its Implications for NIH Capital Assets9 RecommendationsReferencesAppendixesAppendix A: Statement of TaskAppendix B: Committee Biographical InformationAppendix C: Committee ActivitiesAppendix D: Data on NIH Clinical CenterAppendix E: NIH Facilities: CoresAppendix F: Facilities on Bethesda CampusAppendix G: NIH Facilities: Space UtilizationAppendix H: Review of NIH Corporate Strategic Planning ProcessAppendix I: Capital Asset Portfolio Performance-Based Capital Planning Decision MakingAppendix J: GlossaryAppendix K: Acronyms

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in the late 1870s, NIH has produced extraordinary advances in the treatment of common and rare diseases and leads the world in biomedical research. It is a critical national resource that plays an important role in supporting national security.

The 310-acre Bethesda campus supports some 20,000 employees and contractors, and it contains more than 12 million square feet of facilities divided amongst nearly 100 buildings, including the largest dedicated research hospital in the world. The Bethesda campus supports some of the most sophisticated and groundbreaking biomedical research in the world. However, while some new state-of-the-art buildings have been constructed in recent years, essential maintenance for many facilities and the campus overall has been consistently deferred for many years. The deteriorating condition of NIH's built environment is now putting its ability to fulfill its mission at substantial risk.

Managing the NIH Bethesda Campus's Capital Assets for Success in a Highly Competitive Global Biomedical Research Environment identifies the facilities in greatest need of repair on the Bethesda campus and evaluates cost estimates to determine what investment is needed for the NIH to successfully accomplish its mission going forward.