ORC Awarded New Healthcare Tracking Contract

Opinion Research Corporation has been awarded a new, US$7 million contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support the new, "Healthy Passages" initiative, a longitudinal study of health behaviours.

Under the terms of this 5-year contract, ORC will serve as the data co-ordinating centre for the study. Data will be collected by three prominent universities with established records in adolescent health research. This landmark study is designed to follow a large sample of individuals from the age of 8 until the age of 70. CDC intends to survey children and their parents annually until the children are 20 years old, and then to survey these individuals again in their adult years every 10 years for the next five decades.

According to John F. Short, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Opinion Research Corporation, "I am very pleased to announce this new contract. To have been chosen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for this major study underscores their confidence in the ability of our social research business, ORC Macro, to effectively execute high profile research projects. The company has conducted a number of national surveys for CDC, including the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey which has been conducted biannually since 1988. Projects such as Healthy Passages further position the Company as one of the Federal Government's leading research organizations in an area of increasing national importance: child and adolescent health."

For this contract, ORC will work with CDC and the three universities to design and field sophisticated data collection techniques employing state-of-the-art technology.

In addition, ORC has reported results for the second quarter of 2001. These show revenues stood at US$45.2 million, an increase of 11% compared to US$40.7 million in the second quarter of 2000. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was US$4.2 million compared to second quarter 2000 EBITDA of US$4.5 million. Operating income for the current quarter was US$2.1 million compared to US$2.8 million a year ago.

For the first half of fiscal 2001, revenues stood at US$91 million, up 14% compared to first half 2000 revenues of US$79.6 million. EBITDA was US$9.6 million, up 7% compared to first half 2000 EBITDA of US$9.0 million, whilst net income reached US$1.4 million compared to US$1.6 million a year ago.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.