Interior Department awards $3.1M for Lenel Security Upgrade, citing sole-source justification

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $3,144,493 ($3.1M)

Contractor: Integriward, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2023-09-21

End Date: 2026-09-24

Contract Duration: 1,099 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.9K/day

Competition Type: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: LENEL SECURITY UPGRADE FOR LOWER COLORADO BASIN

Place of Performance

Location: BOULDER CITY, CLARK County, NEVADA, 89006

State: Nevada Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $3.1 million to INTEGRIWARD, LLC for work described as: LENEL SECURITY UPGRADE FOR LOWER COLORADO BASIN Key points: 1. Contract awarded to Integriward, LLC for security system services. 2. The contract duration is 1099 days, ending in September 2026. 3. Awarded as a sole-source purchase order, raising questions about competition. 4. The service falls under Security Systems Services, excluding locksmiths. 5. The project is located in Nevada, specifically within the Lower Colorado Basin. 6. The contract type is Firm Fixed Price, providing cost certainty.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

Benchmarking the value of this $3.1 million contract is challenging due to the sole-source nature and lack of publicly available comparable contract data for similar security system upgrades within the Bureau of Reclamation. The firm fixed-price structure offers predictability, but without competitive bidding, it's difficult to ascertain if the pricing represents optimal value for the government. Further analysis would require access to internal cost estimates or pricing from similar sole-source procurements.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded using a sole-source justification, meaning it was not competed openly. The data indicates it was 'NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION'. This approach is typically used when only one vendor can provide the required goods or services, often due to proprietary technology or unique capabilities. The lack of competition limits the government's ability to leverage market forces to achieve the best possible price and terms.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may not be receiving the most cost-effective solution when contracts are awarded without competition, as the potential for lower prices through bidding is forgone.

Public Impact

The Bureau of Reclamation benefits from an upgraded security system for the Lower Colorado Basin. This upgrade enhances the security infrastructure managed by the Department of the Interior. The project is geographically focused in Nevada. The contract supports specialized security systems services, potentially impacting the workforce in that niche.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits price discovery and potentially increases costs for taxpayers.
Lack of competition raises concerns about whether the most innovative or cost-effective solution was secured.
Limited public information on the specific security needs and justification for sole-source procurement.

Positive Signals

Firm Fixed Price contract provides cost certainty for the duration of the award.
Award to Integriward, LLC addresses a specific security need for a critical infrastructure area.
The contract duration allows for a phased implementation and testing of the security upgrade.

Sector Analysis

The security systems services sector encompasses a wide range of solutions, from alarm monitoring to access control and surveillance. Federal spending in this area is substantial, driven by the need to protect government facilities and sensitive information. This contract for Lenel security systems fits within the broader IT and physical security market, where specialized software and hardware are crucial. Comparable spending benchmarks are difficult to establish without more specific details on the system's scope and the market for Lenel-specific upgrades.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not awarded to a small business, nor does it appear to have a small business set-aside component (ss: false, sb: false). There is no explicit information provided regarding subcontracting opportunities for small businesses. The sole-source nature of the award further reduces the likelihood of small business participation unless Integriward, LLC proactively engages them.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of the Interior's internal procurement and financial management systems. As a purchase order, it may be subject to standard administrative oversight. Transparency is limited due to the sole-source justification and the absence of a competitive bidding process. The Inspector General for the Department of the Interior would have jurisdiction for audits and investigations if any irregularities were suspected.

Related Government Programs

Department of the Interior Security Contracts
Bureau of Reclamation Infrastructure Projects
Federal Security Systems Procurement
Sole-Source IT and Security Services

Risk Flags

Sole-source award may indicate lack of competition.
Limited public information on justification for sole-source.
Potential for higher costs due to lack of competitive bidding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $3.1 million to INTEGRIWARD, LLC. LENEL SECURITY UPGRADE FOR LOWER COLORADO BASIN

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is INTEGRIWARD, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (Bureau of Reclamation).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $3.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-09-21. End: 2026-09-24.

What specific security vulnerabilities or needs prompted the sole-source award for the Lenel security upgrade?

The provided data does not detail the specific security vulnerabilities or needs that justified the sole-source award for the Lenel security upgrade. Typically, sole-source justifications are based on factors such as the uniqueness of the product or service, the existence of a critical infrastructure requirement that only one vendor can meet, or a lack of adequate competition. Without further documentation from the Department of the Interior, such as a Justification and Approval (J&A) document, the precise reasons remain undisclosed. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to independently assess the necessity and validity of bypassing the competitive bidding process.

How does the $3.14 million cost compare to similar Lenel security system upgrades in the federal sector?

Directly comparing the $3.14 million cost of this Lenel security upgrade to similar federal contracts is challenging without more specific details about the scope of work, the number of access points, cameras, or other components included. Furthermore, the sole-source nature of this award means it was not subject to competitive pricing pressures, which could inflate the cost relative to a competed contract. Publicly available contract databases often lack the granular detail needed for precise benchmarking, especially for specialized security systems. A comprehensive comparison would require analyzing internal cost data or seeking out other sole-source awards for comparable Lenel system implementations.

What is Integriward, LLC's track record with federal contracts, particularly with the Department of the Interior?

The provided data indicates that Integriward, LLC is the contractor for this specific award. However, it does not offer a comprehensive track record of their past federal contracts, including performance history, past performance evaluations, or previous awards with the Department of the Interior or other agencies. To assess their track record, one would typically need to consult federal procurement databases like SAM.gov or FPDS for a history of awarded contracts, contract values, and any associated performance reviews. Without this broader context, it's difficult to gauge their experience and reliability beyond this single awarded purchase order.

What are the potential risks associated with a sole-source award for critical security infrastructure?

Sole-source awards for critical security infrastructure carry several potential risks. Firstly, the absence of competition can lead to higher costs for taxpayers, as the government may not achieve the best possible price. Secondly, it limits the government's ability to explore potentially more innovative or suitable solutions that other vendors might offer. Thirdly, it can create vendor lock-in, making it difficult and costly to switch providers in the future. Finally, without the scrutiny of a competitive process, there's a heightened risk of inadequate oversight or potential for the awarded vendor to underperform without market-based consequences.

What is the historical spending pattern for 'Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths)' by the Bureau of Reclamation?

The provided data snippet focuses on a single contract and does not offer historical spending patterns for the 'Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths)' category by the Bureau of Reclamation. To analyze historical spending, one would need to query federal procurement databases for all contracts awarded under the relevant NAICS code (561621) by this agency over several fiscal years. This would allow for the identification of trends, major contractors, average contract values, and the prevalence of competitive versus sole-source awards within this service category, providing context for the current $3.14 million award.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Investigation and Security Services › Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths)

Product/Service Code: COMM/DETECT/COHERENT RADIATION

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 140R3023P0066

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Integriward LLC

Address: 4203 GARDENDALE ST, SAN ANTONIO, TX, 78229

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, HUBZone Firm, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Sole Proprietorship, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $3,144,493

Exercised Options: $3,144,493

Current Obligation: $3,144,493

Actual Outlays: $2,819,003

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline