Interior Department awards $4,670 flagpole installation contract to Maximum Promotions, Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,670 ($4.7K)

Contractor: Maximum Promotions, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2026-04-01

End Date: 2026-04-03

Contract Duration: 2 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.3K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Construction

Official Description: MISSOURI NATIONAL RECREATIONAL RIVER-FLAGPOLE INSTALLATION

Place of Performance

Location: YANKTON, YANKTON County, SOUTH DAKOTA, 57078

State: South Dakota Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $4,670.22 to MAXIMUM PROMOTIONS, INC. for work described as: MISSOURI NATIONAL RECREATIONAL RIVER-FLAGPOLE INSTALLATION Key points: 1. Contract awarded for a critical, albeit small-scale, infrastructure need. 2. Limited competition suggests potential for higher pricing than a fully competed contract. 3. Short duration indicates a focused, immediate requirement. 4. Fixed-price contract shifts risk to the contractor. 5. Specialty trade contractor category highlights specific expertise required. 6. Geographic location in South Dakota may influence local economic impact.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $4,670.22 for a flagpole installation is relatively small. Benchmarking this specific service is challenging due to its niche nature and low dollar amount. However, for such a minor project, the price appears within a reasonable range for specialized installation services. Without more comparable data points for similar installations in the region or for the National Park Service, a definitive value-for-money assessment is difficult, but it does not immediately raise significant concerns.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) and was not competed. The data indicates it was a 'NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP' award, suggesting it was likely a sole-source or limited competition procurement. The lack of open competition means that the government did not solicit bids from multiple vendors, potentially limiting price discovery and the opportunity to secure the best possible price.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may have paid a higher price than if the contract had been openly competed, as there was no broad market solicitation to drive down costs through competitive bidding.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the National Park Service and visitors to the Missouri National Recreational River, who will benefit from the new flagpole. The service delivered is the installation of a flagpole. The geographic impact is localized to the Missouri National Recreational River area in South Dakota. Workforce implications are minimal, likely involving a small team for the installation.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition limits price discovery and potentially increases cost to taxpayers.
Award under SAP without competition may indicate a missed opportunity for broader market engagement.

Positive Signals

Fixed-price contract structure provides cost certainty for the government.
Short contract duration ensures timely completion of a specific task.
Award to a specialty trade contractor ensures appropriate expertise for installation.

Sector Analysis

The construction and specialty trade sector encompasses a wide range of services, from large-scale infrastructure projects to smaller, specialized installations like flagpoles. This contract falls into the latter category, requiring specific skills in installation. While the overall market for construction and trades is substantial, this particular award represents a very small segment. Comparable spending benchmarks for individual flagpole installations are not readily available, but the value suggests a micro-purchase or simplified acquisition scenario within the broader specialty trades market.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not awarded to a small business, as indicated by 'sb': false. There is no indication of small business subcontracting requirements for this specific award. The impact on the small business ecosystem is negligible given the contract's small value and lack of set-aside provisions.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the National Park Service's contracting officers and program managers. As a purchase order under SAP, it is subject to internal agency review and compliance checks. Transparency is limited due to the lack of public competition details. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected, but the small value makes extensive IG involvement unlikely.

Related Government Programs

National Park Service Infrastructure Projects
Specialty Trade Services
Federal Purchase Orders
Missouri National Recreational River Operations

Risk Flags

Sole-source award under SAP
Lack of competition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $4,670.22 to MAXIMUM PROMOTIONS, INC.. MISSOURI NATIONAL RECREATIONAL RIVER-FLAGPOLE INSTALLATION

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is MAXIMUM PROMOTIONS, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (National Park Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $4,670.22.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-04-01. End: 2026-04-03.

What is the track record of Maximum Promotions, Inc. with federal contracts?

Information regarding the specific track record of Maximum Promotions, Inc. with federal contracts is not detailed in the provided data. As this was a 'NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP' award, it suggests it might be a smaller vendor or one with limited prior federal contracting experience, or that the agency had a specific reason for a sole-source award. Further investigation into the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) or other government contracting databases would be necessary to ascertain their history, past performance, and any potential issues or successes on previous federal awards. Without this historical data, it's difficult to assess their reliability or efficiency for this specific task.

How does the price of $4,670.22 compare to market rates for flagpole installation?

Benchmarking the exact price of $4,670.22 for a flagpole installation is challenging without specific details about the flagpole's size, material, complexity of installation, and location. However, for a single flagpole installation, this amount appears to be on the higher end for a simple project, but could be justified if the flagpole is substantial, requires specialized foundation work, or involves significant logistical challenges at the remote Missouri National Recreational River site. Typically, basic flagpole installations can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. The lack of competition means a direct market comparison is difficult, but the price is not inherently unreasonable for a specialized service, though it warrants scrutiny due to the sole-source nature.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract?

The primary risks associated with this contract are relatively low due to its small value and short duration. However, potential risks include the quality of the installation not meeting National Park Service standards, delays in completion (though unlikely given the short timeframe), or the contractor going out of business before completing the work. A more significant, though less likely, risk is that the lack of competition may have led to an inflated price compared to what could have been achieved through a competitive bidding process. Ensuring the contractor has adequate insurance and bonding, even for a small project, would mitigate some financial risks.

How effective is the National Park Service in managing small, specialized contracts like this?

The effectiveness of the National Park Service (NPS) in managing small, specialized contracts like this flagpole installation can be inferred from the contract's structure. Awarding it under SAP suggests an efficient process for low-value procurements. The fixed-price nature provides cost certainty. However, the 'NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP' aspect raises questions about whether the most effective use of taxpayer funds was achieved. While NPS likely has established procedures for managing such awards, the lack of competition indicates a potential area for improvement in ensuring maximum value and exploring broader market participation, even for minor acquisitions, to foster competition and potentially lower costs.

What are the historical spending patterns for flagpole installations by the Department of the Interior?

Historical spending patterns for flagpole installations by the Department of the Interior (DOI) are not detailed in the provided data. This specific contract is a small, isolated purchase order. To understand historical patterns, one would need to analyze broader federal procurement data, searching for similar keywords (e.g., 'flagpole', 'installation', 'monument', 'signage') across various DOI agencies like the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc., over several fiscal years. Such an analysis would reveal the frequency, average cost, and typical procurement methods (competed vs. sole-source) for similar items, providing context for this particular award's value and process.

Could this contract have been bundled with other similar requirements for greater efficiency?

The potential for bundling this contract depends on the NPS's broader requirements for similar installations across different sites or over a longer period. If multiple flagpoles were needed at various locations within the Missouri National Recreational River or other nearby NPS sites, bundling them into a larger contract could have potentially led to economies of scale, reduced administrative costs, and increased competition. However, given the specific nature and immediate need implied by the short duration, it's possible this was a standalone requirement. Without knowledge of other pending needs, assessing bundling potential is speculative, but it's a standard consideration for maximizing efficiency in federal procurement.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Construction › Other Specialty Trade Contractors › All Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Product/Service Code: INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT › INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 705 N WEST AVE, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 57104

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Manufacturer of Goods, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $4,670

Exercised Options: $4,670

Current Obligation: $4,670

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Timeline