Interior Renews POLITICO E&E Publishing Contract for $3.95M, Lacking Competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $39,510 ($39.5K)

Contractor: Politico, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2023-05-01

End Date: 2028-04-30

Contract Duration: 1,826 days

Daily Burn Rate: $22/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: POLITICO E&E PUBLISHING RENEWAL

Place of Performance

Location: ARLINGTON, ARLINGTON County, VIRGINIA, 22209

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $39,510 to POLITICO, LLC for work described as: POLITICO E&E PUBLISHING RENEWAL Key points: 1. Contract awarded to POLITICO, LLC for $3.95 million over five years. 2. Sole-source award raises concerns about price discovery and taxpayer value. 3. The contract supports the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement. 4. No small business participation is indicated.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract's value is difficult to assess without competitive benchmarks. The firm fixed-price structure provides cost certainty but may not reflect the best possible price due to the lack of competition.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was not competed, meaning POLITICO, LLC was the only vendor considered. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers.

Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition may result in taxpayers paying more than necessary for these publishing services.

Public Impact

Access to specialized environmental and energy news is maintained for a key federal agency. Taxpayers may be overpaying for these services due to the absence of competitive bidding. The renewal highlights potential reliance on single vendors for critical information services.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition
Potential for overpayment
No small business utilization

Positive Signals

Ensures continued access to critical information
Firm fixed-price contract provides budget predictability

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under the Newspaper Publishers sector, which is essential for disseminating information and analysis. Benchmarks for similar sole-source publishing contracts are scarce, making direct comparison difficult.

Small Business Impact

The contract does not indicate any provisions for small business participation. This represents a missed opportunity to support small businesses in the publishing sector.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny to ensure the agency obtained fair value. Further review of the justification for not competing the contract is recommended.

Related Government Programs

Newspaper Publishers
Department of the Interior Contracting
Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement Programs

Risk Flags

Sole-source award
Lack of competitive bidding
Potential for inflated pricing
No small business participation
Limited transparency on justification

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $39,510 to POLITICO, LLC. POLITICO E&E PUBLISHING RENEWAL

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is POLITICO, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $39,510.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-05-01. End: 2028-04-30.

What was the justification for not competing this contract, and was it adequately documented?

The provided data indicates the contract was 'NOT COMPETED'. A thorough review of the agency's justification documentation is necessary to understand the rationale behind this decision. Typically, sole-source awards require a strong justification, such as a unique capability or urgent need, to ensure fair and reasonable pricing is still achieved.

How does the renewal price compare to previous contract periods or similar market offerings?

Without prior contract data or comparable market offerings for similar sole-source publishing services, it is challenging to definitively assess price reasonableness. The lack of competition inherently limits the ability to benchmark against market rates, raising concerns about potential overpayment.

What is the long-term strategy for acquiring these publishing services to ensure future cost-effectiveness?

The agency should explore strategies to foster competition for future renewals or procurements of these services. This could involve market research to identify potential competitors or breaking down the requirement into smaller, more competitive components to ensure better value for taxpayer dollars.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers › Newspaper Publishers

Product/Service Code: BOOKS, MAPS, OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 140S0323Q0001

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1000 WILSON BLVD, ARLINGTON, VA, 22209

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $39,510

Exercised Options: $39,510

Current Obligation: $39,510

Actual Outlays: $39,510

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline