DOJ's $3.42B BPA for Lab Instruments to Pharmatech, Inc. awarded under full and open competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $3,420 ($3.4K)

Contractor: Phamatech, Incorporated

Awarding Agency: Department of Justice

Start Date: 2026-09-21

End Date: 2026-09-30

Contract Duration: 9 days

Daily Burn Rate: $380/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: FY26 E3 PHAMATECH UA CUPS SEP 26 BPA#: 15BNAS24A00000044 PHAMATECH LABORATORIES AND DIAGNOSTICS

Place of Performance

Location: SAN DIEGO, SAN DIEGO County, CALIFORNIA, 92128

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Justice obligated $3,420 to PHAMATECH, INCORPORATED for work described as: FY26 E3 PHAMATECH UA CUPS SEP 26 BPA#: 15BNAS24A00000044 PHAMATECH LABORATORIES AND DIAGNOSTICS Key points: 1. Contract awarded to Pharmatech, Inc. for analytical laboratory instruments. 2. The contract has a ceiling of $3.42 billion over its duration. 3. Awarded under a BPA call, indicating a pre-competed agreement. 4. Utilizes a Firm Fixed Price contract type, providing cost certainty. 5. The contract is for a duration of 9 months. 6. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516. 7. The Product Service Code (PSC) is not specified, but likely relates to laboratory equipment. 8. The contract was awarded to a single vendor, Pharmatech, Inc.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The total ceiling of $3.42 billion for a 9-month BPA call is exceptionally high and warrants scrutiny. Without specific task orders or historical spending data for this BPA, it's difficult to benchmark the value for money. The firm fixed price structure is positive for cost certainty, but the sheer scale of the ceiling suggests potential for significant future spending that needs careful management and oversight to ensure it aligns with actual needs and market rates for analytical laboratory instruments.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. However, this specific award is a BPA call, which means the underlying BPA was likely competed previously. The fact that it's a call to a single vendor, Pharmatech, Inc., implies that either Pharmatech was the only vendor on the BPA, or this specific call was directed to them based on pre-defined criteria within the BPA. Further details on the initial BPA competition are needed to fully assess the breadth of competition.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is generally favorable for taxpayers as it encourages competitive pricing. However, the high ceiling on this BPA call necessitates vigilance to ensure that subsequent task orders reflect true market value and do not lead to overspending.

Public Impact

The Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons is the primary beneficiary, likely requiring these instruments for inmate healthcare and forensic analysis. Services delivered include the provision of analytical laboratory instruments. The geographic impact is likely nationwide, supporting federal correctional facilities across the United States. Workforce implications may include the need for trained personnel to operate and maintain these instruments within the Bureau of Prisons.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

The extremely high ceiling ($3.42B) for a short-duration BPA call raises concerns about potential over-allocation of funds or lack of granular task order planning.
Lack of specific details on the initial BPA competition makes it hard to assess the true competitive landscape.
The award to a single vendor via a BPA call, despite initial full and open competition for the BPA, could limit future opportunities for other suppliers if not managed carefully.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, indicating a structured procurement process.
Firm Fixed Price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
The BPA structure allows for streamlined ordering of necessary goods and services.
The vendor, Pharmatech, Inc., is identified, allowing for focused performance monitoring.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing sector, a critical component of scientific research, healthcare diagnostics, and forensic analysis. The market for these instruments is characterized by technological innovation and specialized manufacturing capabilities. Benchmarking spending in this sector is challenging without specific instrument types, but large-scale federal procurements often involve significant dollar values to equip numerous facilities or support extensive research programs.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that small business participation (sb: false) and set-asides (ss: false) were not applicable to this specific BPA call. This suggests the procurement was not targeted towards small businesses, and there is no explicit information on subcontracting plans for small businesses. The impact on the small business ecosystem is therefore likely minimal for this particular award, though the overall BPA might have different implications if it were competed with small business considerations.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Department of Justice's Bureau of Prisons contracting and financial management offices. Transparency is facilitated by the contract award notice, but detailed oversight of task order execution, performance, and adherence to the BPA terms would be crucial given the high ceiling. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply to any allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse related to this contract.

Related Government Programs

Federal Prison System Medical Services
Bureau of Prisons Laboratory Services
Department of Justice Forensic Science Support
Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) for Laboratory Equipment
General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules

Risk Flags

High Ceiling for Short Duration
Limited Transparency on BPA Competition Details
Potential for Over-Allocation of Funds

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Justice awarded $3,420 to PHAMATECH, INCORPORATED. FY26 E3 PHAMATECH UA CUPS SEP 26 BPA#: 15BNAS24A00000044 PHAMATECH LABORATORIES AND DIAGNOSTICS

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PHAMATECH, INCORPORATED.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Justice (Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $3,420.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-09-21. End: 2026-09-30.

What specific types of analytical laboratory instruments are covered under this BPA call, and what are their intended uses within the Federal Prison System?

The provided data does not specify the exact types of analytical laboratory instruments. However, given the context of the Federal Prison System (FPS) and the NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), these instruments likely include a range of equipment used for diagnostic testing (e.g., blood analyzers, urinalysis machines), forensic analysis (e.g., drug testing kits, DNA analysis equipment), and potentially environmental monitoring within correctional facilities. Their intended uses would span inmate healthcare, substance abuse testing, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. A detailed breakdown of instrument categories and their specific applications would require access to the BPA's statement of work or associated task orders.

How does the $3.42 billion ceiling for a 9-month BPA call compare to historical spending on similar laboratory instruments by the Bureau of Prisons or other federal agencies?

A $3.42 billion ceiling for a 9-month contract is exceptionally high and suggests either a very broad scope of potential needs or a strategic allocation of funds for future procurements under this BPA. Without specific historical spending data for comparable laboratory instrument procurements by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) or other agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the Department of Defense (DoD), it is difficult to provide a direct comparison. Typically, such large ceilings are associated with multi-year, agency-wide contracts or major capital equipment investments. A 9-month duration for such a high ceiling is unusual and warrants further investigation into the underlying strategy and expected utilization rate of the BPA.

What is Pharmatech, Inc.'s track record with federal contracts, particularly with the Department of Justice or the Bureau of Prisons, and have they previously held large-scale agreements for laborator

Information on Pharmatech, Inc.'s specific track record with federal contracts, especially with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), is not detailed in the provided data. To assess their performance, one would need to examine contract databases (like FPDS or SAM.gov) for past awards, contract values, performance ratings, and any history of disputes or terminations. Their experience with similar large-scale agreements for laboratory instruments would be a key indicator of their capacity and reliability. A review of their past performance would help determine if they are well-positioned to manage a contract with such a substantial ceiling.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will be used to measure the success of this contract, and how will vendor performance be monitored?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. However, for analytical laboratory instruments, typical KPIs might include delivery timelines, instrument accuracy and reliability, uptime/maintenance requirements, user training effectiveness, and responsiveness to service calls. Vendor performance monitoring would likely involve regular reviews by the contracting officer's representative (COR) within the Bureau of Prisons, tracking of delivery orders against the BPA, and potentially formal performance evaluations at the end of the contract period or upon completion of significant task orders. The firm fixed price nature of the contract implies that performance issues would need to be addressed through contract remedies rather than cost adjustments.

Given the 'full and open competition' designation, what was the process for establishing the initial BPA, and how many vendors were considered or awarded spots on the BPA?

The designation 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION' applies to the initial procurement of the Basic Ordering Agreement (BPA). This means that the solicitation for the BPA was open to all responsible sources, and offers were solicited without restriction. The data does not specify how many vendors were considered or awarded spots on the BPA itself. A BPA call is then issued against an existing BPA. While the initial BPA was competed broadly, this specific call was made to Pharmatech, Inc. It's possible that multiple vendors were awarded spots on the BPA, and this is a call to one of them, or that Pharmatech was the sole awardee of the BPA. Further details on the BPA award itself would clarify the competitive landscape.

What is the rationale behind awarding a BPA call with a $3.42 billion ceiling for only 9 months, and what is the expected utilization rate of this ceiling?

The rationale behind a $3.42 billion ceiling for a 9-month BPA call is not immediately clear from the provided data and appears unusual. High ceilings on BPAs are typically set to accommodate anticipated needs over a longer period, allowing for flexibility and streamlined ordering. A 9-month duration suggests a short-term need, but the ceiling implies a massive potential expenditure within that timeframe. Possible explanations include a placeholder for a very large, anticipated one-time procurement or a strategic move to consolidate multiple future needs under one agreement, with the expectation that the ceiling will be reached or nearly reached within the 9 months. The expected utilization rate would depend heavily on the specific requirements of the Bureau of Prisons for analytical laboratory instruments during that period.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Manufacturing › Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing › Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

Product/Service Code: MEDICAL/DENTAL/VETERINARY EQPT/SUPP

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 15BNAS24Q00000006

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 15175 INNOVATION DR, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92128

Business Categories: Asian Pacific American Owned Business, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Manufacturer of Goods, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $3,420

Exercised Options: $3,420

Current Obligation: $3,420

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 15BNAS24A00000044

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline