DoD's $20.3M ESS Basic Storage Solution Services contract awarded to VION CORPORATION for IT support

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $20,270,955 ($20.3M)

Contractor: Vion Corporation

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2010-02-08

End Date: 2010-09-30

Contract Duration: 234 days

Daily Burn Rate: $86.6K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20007

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $20.3 million to VION CORPORATION for work described as: ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract value of $20.3M for IT storage services. 2. Awarded under full and open competition. 3. Contract duration of approximately 8 months. 4. Services provided in Washington D.C. 5. Contract type is Firm Fixed Price. 6. No small business set-aside was utilized.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $20.3 million for approximately 8 months of IT storage services appears to be within a reasonable range for enterprise-level solutions. However, without specific details on the scope of services, storage capacity, and performance metrics, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging. Benchmarking against similar large-scale storage contracts would provide a clearer picture of whether the pricing reflects competitive market rates for the services rendered.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit bids. The presence of 3 bidders suggests a moderate level of competition for this IT services requirement. While competition is generally positive for price discovery, the specific number of bidders does not inherently guarantee the lowest possible price without further analysis of the bids received.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive bidding process for this contract helps ensure that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently by encouraging vendors to offer their best pricing. The fact that multiple companies vied for this work suggests that the government likely received a range of proposals, potentially leading to a more cost-effective outcome.

Public Impact

The Department of Defense benefits from enhanced IT infrastructure and storage capabilities. Essential IT storage services are delivered to support military operations and administrative functions. Services are geographically concentrated in Washington D.C. The contract supports IT professionals and potentially other roles within the contractor's organization.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Limited transparency on specific performance metrics and service level agreements.
Potential for vendor lock-in if the solution is highly specialized.
The fixed-price nature might not fully account for unforeseen technical challenges.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a fair process.
Firm Fixed Price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
The contract addresses a critical IT infrastructure need for the DoD.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the broader Information Technology sector, specifically focusing on computer-related services and data storage solutions. The market for enterprise storage is substantial, driven by increasing data volumes across all industries, including government. Comparable spending benchmarks for large-scale IT infrastructure projects within federal agencies can vary widely based on scope, technology, and duration. This contract represents a significant investment in maintaining and upgrading critical data storage capabilities for a major federal entity.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not awarded as a small business set-aside, and there is no indication of subcontracting requirements for small businesses. Therefore, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem is likely minimal. The focus was on securing the required IT storage services through the most competitive means available, which in this case, did not prioritize small business participation.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures are inherent in the Firm Fixed Price contract type, requiring the contractor to deliver specified services within the agreed-upon cost. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases, though detailed performance reports may not always be publicly accessible. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Defense Information Systems Agency IT Services
Department of Defense Cloud Computing Services
Federal Data Storage Solutions
IT Infrastructure Modernization Programs

Risk Flags

Contract duration is relatively short for enterprise storage.
Lack of detailed performance metrics in public data.
Limited information on specific technologies deployed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $20.3 million to VION CORPORATION. ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is VION CORPORATION.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Defense Information Systems Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $20.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2010-02-08. End: 2010-09-30.

What specific types of storage solutions were provided under this contract, and what was the total storage capacity acquired?

The provided data indicates the contract was for 'ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES' awarded to VION CORPORATION. However, it does not specify the exact types of storage solutions (e.g., SAN, NAS, cloud-based, object storage) or the total storage capacity in terabytes or petabytes that were acquired. This level of detail is crucial for understanding the scope of the services and for performing a more accurate cost-benefit analysis. Without this information, it's difficult to benchmark the value effectively against industry standards for similar storage deployments.

How does the awarded amount of approximately $20.3 million compare to similar IT storage contracts awarded by the DoD or other federal agencies during the same period?

Benchmarking this $20.3 million contract requires comparing it to similar IT storage solutions procured by the Department of Defense (DoD) or other federal agencies around the 2010 timeframe. Contracts for enterprise storage can vary significantly based on capacity, performance requirements, service level agreements (SLAs), and duration. For instance, a contract for high-performance, mission-critical storage with stringent uptime guarantees would naturally command a higher price than a basic backup or archival solution. Without detailed specifications of the 'ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES,' a direct comparison is challenging. However, $20.3 million for an 8-month duration suggests a substantial investment, likely for a significant portion of the DoD's storage needs at that time.

What were the key performance indicators (KPIs) or service level agreements (SLAs) associated with this contract, and did VION CORPORATION meet them?

The available data does not include the specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that were part of the 'ESS BASIC STORAGE SOLUTION SERVICES' contract. These metrics are essential for evaluating the contractor's performance and the overall success of the service delivery. Typical SLAs for storage solutions might include uptime guarantees (e.g., 99.99%), data retrieval times, response times for support, and data integrity measures. Assessing whether VION CORPORATION met these unstated requirements is not possible with the current information. Post-award performance reports or contract close-out documentation would typically contain this evaluation.

What is VION CORPORATION's track record with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies for providing similar IT storage solutions?

VION CORPORATION's track record with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies for IT storage solutions is not detailed in the provided data. To assess their reliability and expertise, one would need to examine their past performance on similar contracts, including contract values, durations, services rendered, and any performance ratings or past performance questionnaires (PPQs). A history of successful, on-time, and within-budget delivery of complex IT infrastructure services would indicate a strong track record. Conversely, any documented issues, contract disputes, or performance failures would raise concerns about their capability to fulfill this specific requirement effectively.

Given the contract's duration of approximately 8 months, was this a short-term solution, or was it intended to be a bridge to a longer-term, more permanent storage infrastructure?

The contract duration of approximately 8 months (February 8, 2010, to September 30, 2010) suggests it was likely a short-term or interim solution. Federal agencies often use such contracts to bridge gaps while planning, soliciting, and awarding longer-term, more comprehensive contracts for critical infrastructure like data storage. This could have been to address an immediate need, test a particular technology or vendor, or provide services while a larger procurement was underway. Without further context on the DoD's broader IT strategy at the time, it's difficult to definitively state its purpose, but the short duration points away from it being a foundational, long-term deployment.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: HC101306R2005

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1055 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST NW STE 406, WASHINGTON, DC, 98

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Veteran Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $21,990,000

Exercised Options: $21,990,000

Current Obligation: $20,270,955

Contract Characteristics

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: HC101307D2009

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline