KJ Shaikh

KJ Shaikh serves as a key procurement lead within the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), supporting the agency’s mission to advance scientific research on substance use disorders through strategic acquisition of specialized scientific and technical services. Responsible for managing complex research and development contracts, Shaikh oversees the solicitation and award of procurements that enable cutting-edge neurobiological, behavioral, and clinical studies. Their portfolio primarily includes analytical instrumentation, laboratory research services, and data-driven scientific support systems, ensuring alignment with NIDA’s priorities in translating laboratory findings into public health applications. Shaikh maintains consistent partnerships with leading academic and research institutions, including The McLean Hospital Corporation, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the University of Miami, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. These relationships reflect a pattern of awarding long-term, high-impact research contracts to institutions with proven expertise in addiction science, neuroimaging, and behavioral intervention studies. The working relationships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, iterative proposal development, and a focus on mission-critical scientific outcomes rather than commoditized services. Set-aside preferences are heavily skewed toward open competition, with 91.9% of awards issued without socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is modest at 7.5% under Total Small Business Set-Asides, and only 0.6% under 8(a) programs, Shaikh’s approach prioritizes scientific merit and technical capability over socioeconomic criteria, aligning with NIDA’s research-driven procurement culture. The procurement focus centers on NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting a strong demand for advanced equipment used in neurochemical analysis and drug metabolism studies. Additional emphasis is placed on NAICS 541715 for physical and life sciences R&D services, with supporting contracts in electronic equipment maintenance (811210) and biological product manufacturing (325414). This technical profile underscores deep expertise in procuring high-precision scientific infrastructure essential to addiction research.