Opinion Research Corporation Awarded $1.8 Million Social Marketing Contract; Award Among First in Federal Government's New School Violence Prevention Program

Business Wire, Dec 19, 2000

Business Editors

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2000

Opinion Research Corporation (AMEX:OPI) today announced that its Social & Health Services Ltd. ("SHS") unit is among the first organizations to be awarded a subcontract in the federal government's new school violence prevention program.

Under this new $1.8 million subcontract, SHS will provide communications and social marketing technical assistance to the grantee school districts around the country selected by the Center for Mental Health Services ("CMHS") to participate in its Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative.

Safe Schools/Healthy Students is the first Federal interdepartmental grantee program jointly sponsored by the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services and Justice. SHS will assist grantees with marketing and communications strategies designed to improve the programs' effectiveness. In addition, under this subcontract SHS will also provide strategic communications support for the CMHS' release of two new reports from the Office of the Surgeon General.

"It is an honor to be a part of the Federal Government's groundbreaking effort to reduce violence on our nation's school campuses," commented John Short, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Opinion Research Corporation. "We appreciate that an effective communications effort has been recognized as an essential element to a successful program. Our years of experience should prove extremely beneficial to the numerous school districts that will be working hard with these grants to improve the safety of our schools."

Social & Health Services, Ltd., a leading health marketing communications company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of ORC Macro, an Opinion Research Corporation company. Opinion Research Corporation, founded in 1938, is a global commercial market and social research and model-based teleservices company. With offices in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa, the Company provides integrated marketing services to both businesses and governments in over 100 countries.

This release contains, within the meaning of the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, forward-looking statements that are based on management's beliefs and assumptions, current expectations, estimates and projections. Many of the factors that will determine the Company's financial results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and therefore actual results may materially differ. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Important factors and risks that may affect future results are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from the Company.