American Institutes for Research to Support Efforts to Strengthen U.S. System for Organ Donation and Transplantation

Arlington, Va. - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded the American Institutes for Research (AIR) a five-year contract to strengthen the governance, transparency, and efficiency of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network(OPTN). Through the contract, worth up to $50 million over five years, AIR will provide support to HRSA and the newly incorporated OPTN Board of Directors.

The OPTN is a public-private partnership that brings together all professionals involved in the U.S. organ donation and transplantation system. The OPTN Board and its committees are responsible for network governance, including establishing policies for organ procurement and allocation, maintaining and monitoring membership standards, and overseeing operations and quality improvement.

More than 100,000 Americans need an organ transplant, and 17 Americans die every day while waiting for one. HRSA's OPTN Modernization Initiative aims to enhance the process of how patients are matched to organs, shorten wait times, address inequities, and improve transplant outcomes.

The AIR team will support the OPTN modernization by providing strategic and administrative services to HRSA and the OPTN Board, including:

• Facilitating nomination and election processes of an independent OPTN Board;
• Supporting OPTN Board governance, oversight, management, and strategic planning;
• Updating OPTN structure, composition, policies, processes, and procedures; and
• Fostering collaboration within a multi-vendor environment.

AIR's partners in the project are Foley Hoag, LLP, and LPE Associates.

"There is a direct link between improving the OPTN and saving patients' lives. Our team is committed to helping to modernize the OPTN through improved governance and other efforts," said Timothy Hill, senior vice president of AIR's Health Division. "I'm thrilled to engage in this work because it is critical to transplant patients and their families, and is directly aligned with AIR's mission."

About AIR
Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and the workforce. AIR's work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org.