DOJ awards $11.1M for Expert Witness Services to Signature Science LLC via sole-source purchase order
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $11,146 ($11.1K)
Contractor: Signature Science LLC
Awarding Agency: Department of Justice
Start Date: 2025-07-07
End Date: 2026-03-26
Contract Duration: 262 days
Daily Burn Rate: $43/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS
Sector: Other
Official Description: EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES.
Place of Performance
Location: AUSTIN, TRAVIS County, TEXAS, 78766
State: Texas Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Justice obligated $11,145.68 to SIGNATURE SCIENCE LLC for work described as: EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES. Key points: 1. Contract awarded to a single vendor, raising questions about competition. 2. Significant value for specialized legal support services. 3. Potential for cost overruns with Time and Materials pricing. 4. Focus on legal services within the Department of Justice. 5. Limited transparency due to sole-source nature.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract's Time and Materials pricing structure, without a clear ceiling or fixed price, makes a direct pricing assessment difficult. Benchmarking against similar expert witness contracts is challenging due to the specialized nature of the services and the lack of competitive bidding.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
The contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award. This limits price discovery and may prevent the government from obtaining the best possible value through competitive market forces.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are committed without assurance of competitive pricing, potentially leading to higher costs than if the service had been openly bid.
Public Impact
Citizens may pay more for legal services due to lack of competition. Limited visibility into the necessity of sole-source procurement for these services. Potential impact on the broader legal services market if sole-sourcing becomes a trend.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award limits competition and price discovery.
- Time and Materials pricing offers potential for cost overruns.
- Lack of transparency in procurement process.
Positive Signals
- Specialized expertise likely secured for critical legal functions.
- Clear contract duration and delivery dates.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under legal services, a sector that often requires specialized expertise. Benchmarking is difficult without competitive data, but the value suggests a significant need for these services within the DOJ.
Small Business Impact
The contract was awarded to Signature Science LLC, a company that may or may not be a small business. The data does not specify if small business set-asides were considered or if small businesses were subcontracted.
Oversight & Accountability
The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny to ensure the justification for non-competition is robust and that the pricing is fair and reasonable. Further oversight is needed to confirm value for taxpayer money.
Related Government Programs
- All Other Legal Services
- Department of Justice Contracting
- Offices, Boards and Divisions Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of competitive bidding.
- Potential for cost overruns due to T&M pricing.
- Limited transparency in procurement.
- No clear indication of small business participation.
Tags
all-other-legal-services, department-of-justice, tx, purchase-order, under-100k
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Justice awarded $11,145.68 to SIGNATURE SCIENCE LLC. EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is SIGNATURE SCIENCE LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Justice (Offices, Boards and Divisions).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $11,145.68.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2025-07-07. End: 2026-03-26.
What specific expertise does Signature Science LLC provide that justifies a sole-source award for expert witness services?
The justification for a sole-source award typically hinges on unique capabilities, specialized knowledge, or proprietary technology possessed by the contractor that cannot be readily replicated by others. For expert witness services, this could involve highly niche scientific, technical, or forensic expertise critical to specific legal cases pursued by the Department of Justice, where finding an equivalent alternative through competition would be impractical or detrimental to the legal proceedings.
What measures are in place to control costs under the Time and Materials contract, given the absence of a fixed price?
While Time and Materials contracts lack a fixed price, agencies often implement controls such as labor hour limitations, established hourly rates negotiated in advance, and strict oversight of work performed. The Department of Justice would likely monitor the contractor's hours and expenses closely, requiring detailed justifications for all time billed and potentially setting Not-to-Exceed (NTE) limits within the contract to prevent uncontrolled cost escalation.
How does the DOJ ensure the effectiveness and quality of expert witness services procured through sole-source contracts?
Effectiveness and quality are typically ensured through rigorous performance standards outlined in the contract, regular performance reviews, and the ultimate outcome of the legal cases where the expert testimony is used. The DOJ would likely have internal quality assurance processes and rely on the legal teams utilizing the experts to provide feedback on their performance, ensuring that the services meet the demanding requirements of litigation.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Legal Services › All Other Legal Services
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Signature Science, LLC
Address: 8501 N MOPAC EXPY STE 100, AUSTIN, TX, 78759
Business Categories: Category Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Manufacturer of Goods, Not Designated a Small Business, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $11,146
Exercised Options: $11,146
Current Obligation: $11,146
Actual Outlays: $7,128
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Timeline
Start Date: 2025-07-07
Current End Date: 2026-03-26
Potential End Date: 2026-03-26 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-06
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