Interior Department's $240K contract for waterfowl surveys awarded via sole-source purchase order

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $240,000 ($240.0K)

Contractor: Government of Canada

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2024-04-25

End Date: 2027-04-30

Contract Duration: 1,100 days

Daily Burn Rate: $218/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: WATERFOWL POPULATION SURVEY

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $240,000 to GOVERNMENT OF CANADA for work described as: WATERFOWL POPULATION SURVEY Key points: 1. Value for money is difficult to assess due to the sole-source nature of the award. 2. Competition dynamics are absent, as the contract was not competed. 3. Risk indicators include the lack of competitive bidding, potentially leading to suboptimal pricing. 4. Performance context is limited to environmental consulting services for waterfowl population surveys. 5. Sector positioning is within environmental consulting, a niche but important area for wildlife management.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $240,000 for environmental consulting services is modest. However, without competitive bids, it is challenging to benchmark the pricing against market rates or similar government contracts. The sole-source award raises concerns about whether the government secured the best possible value for these waterfowl survey services. Further analysis would require understanding the specific deliverables and the unique qualifications of the contractor.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was not competed under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) and was awarded as a sole-source purchase order. This indicates that the agency identified a specific contractor deemed necessary for the services, bypassing the standard competitive bidding process. The lack of competition means there were no other bidders to compare against, limiting price discovery and potentially increasing the risk of paying a non-competitive price.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may not have received the most cost-effective solution due to the absence of a competitive bidding process. The sole-source award bypasses opportunities for price reductions that typically arise from multiple offers.

Public Impact

The Government of Canada is the recipient of the services, likely for cross-border or collaborative research. The services delivered are environmental consulting, specifically focused on waterfowl population surveys. The geographic impact is not specified but likely relates to areas where waterfowl populations are monitored. Workforce implications are minimal, as this is a consulting service rather than a large-scale project.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition may lead to higher costs for taxpayers.
Sole-source awards can reduce transparency in government spending.
Limited information available on the specific scope and deliverables of the survey.

Positive Signals

The contract addresses a specific need for waterfowl population data, crucial for wildlife management.
The award is to the Government of Canada, suggesting potential international collaboration or data sharing.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Environmental Consulting Services sector, a specialized area focused on ecological assessments and data collection. The market for such services includes firms with expertise in wildlife biology, environmental science, and data analysis. While specific market size data for waterfowl surveys is not readily available, environmental consulting as a whole is a significant industry. This contract represents a small but important component of federal spending on environmental monitoring and research.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication that this contract involved small business set-asides or subcontracting opportunities. As a sole-source award to the Government of Canada, it is unlikely to have direct implications for the U.S. small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's internal procurement and financial management processes. As a purchase order, it is subject to standard government accounting and auditing procedures. Transparency is limited due to the sole-source nature, but records should be accessible through standard government information requests.

Related Government Programs

Wildlife Management Programs
Environmental Monitoring Contracts
Federal Research Grants
Ecological Survey Services

Risk Flags

Sole-source award bypasses competition.
Potential for non-competitive pricing.
Limited transparency due to sole-source nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $240,000 to GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. WATERFOWL POPULATION SURVEY

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $240,000.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-04-25. End: 2027-04-30.

What is the specific expertise of the Government of Canada that necessitated a sole-source award for waterfowl surveys?

The provided data does not specify the unique expertise of the Government of Canada that led to this sole-source award. Typically, sole-source justifications require detailed documentation outlining why only one source can fulfill the requirement, such as unique capabilities, specialized knowledge, or critical timing. Without this documentation, it is impossible to ascertain the precise reasons for bypassing competition. Further investigation into the contract file or agency justifications would be necessary to understand the rationale behind awarding this contract to the Government of Canada without competition.

How does the $240,000 contract value compare to typical costs for similar waterfowl population surveys?

Benchmarking the $240,000 contract value against similar waterfowl population surveys is challenging without more specific details on the scope of work, geographic area covered, duration, and methodologies employed. Government contracts for environmental consulting can vary widely in price based on these factors. The absence of competitive bids for this specific contract further complicates direct cost comparison. To provide a meaningful comparison, one would need to identify publicly available data on similar sole-source or competed contracts for waterfowl surveys conducted by other federal agencies or state wildlife departments, looking for comparable deliverables and scale.

What are the potential risks associated with awarding a contract solely to a foreign government entity for environmental services?

Awarding a contract solely to a foreign government entity like the Government of Canada for environmental services can introduce several risks. These may include potential challenges in contract oversight and enforcement due to jurisdictional differences, currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting the final cost, and differing regulatory or data privacy standards. Furthermore, relying on a foreign entity might create dependencies that could be problematic in sensitive areas of national interest, such as wildlife management that impacts border regions or migratory species. Ensuring clear communication channels, robust performance metrics, and alignment with U.S. environmental objectives are crucial mitigation strategies.

What specific waterfowl species or populations are targeted by this survey, and what is the intended use of the data?

The provided data does not specify the particular waterfowl species or populations that are the subject of this survey, nor does it detail the intended use of the collected data. Waterfowl population surveys are typically conducted to inform conservation efforts, manage hunting seasons, monitor disease outbreaks, assess habitat health, and understand migratory patterns. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as the awarding agency, likely uses such data for its wildlife management responsibilities. To determine the specific targets and data applications, one would need to consult the contract's statement of work or related agency documentation.

What is the historical spending pattern of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on waterfowl population surveys, and how does this contract fit within that pattern?

The provided data does not offer historical spending patterns for waterfowl population surveys by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To analyze this, one would need to access historical contract databases (e.g., FPDS-NG, USASpending.gov) and filter for similar service codes (NAICS 541620) and keywords related to waterfowl surveys awarded by the agency over several fiscal years. This analysis would reveal the typical frequency, value, and procurement methods (competed vs. sole-source) for such services. This current $240,000 sole-source contract would then be assessed against that historical context to identify any deviations or trends.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Environmental Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVERVAT SVCS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: 140F0S24Q0023

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1550 AVE D'ESTIMAUVILLE, QUEBEC

Business Categories: Category Business, Foreign Government, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $400,000

Exercised Options: $240,000

Current Obligation: $240,000

Actual Outlays: $160,000

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline