Justice Department awards $4.99M contract for expert witness services to Wright Water Engineers, Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $499,228 ($499.2K)

Contractor: Wright Water Engineers, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Justice

Start Date: 2026-04-01

End Date: 2031-02-01

Contract Duration: 1,767 days

Daily Burn Rate: $283/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES/FY26ECU092

Place of Performance

Location: DENVER, DENVER County, COLORADO, 80211

State: Colorado Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Justice obligated $499,228 to WRIGHT WATER ENGINEERS, INC. for work described as: EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES/FY26ECU092 Key points: 1. Contract awarded on a sole-source basis, limiting price competition. 2. Long contract duration (1767 days) may indicate a need for sustained expertise. 3. Services are categorized under legal services, suggesting support for litigation or investigations. 4. The contract's value is moderate, but the lack of competition warrants scrutiny. 5. Performance period spans multiple fiscal years, requiring ongoing budget allocation. 6. The contractor's specialization in water engineering may be critical for specific legal cases.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $4.99 million for expert witness services over nearly five years appears substantial. Without a competitive bidding process, it is difficult to benchmark the pricing against market rates or similar contracts. The sole-source award suggests a unique capability or a specific need that only Wright Water Engineers, Inc. could fulfill, but this justification needs to be thoroughly documented to ensure fair pricing for the government. The time and materials pricing structure also introduces risk for cost overruns if not closely managed.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not competed among multiple vendors. This approach is typically used when a specific contractor possesses unique qualifications, capabilities, or when urgency dictates a direct award. The lack of competition means there was no opportunity for price discovery through bidding, potentially leading to higher costs for the government compared to a fully competed contract. The justification for this sole-source award would need to demonstrate why other qualified vendors could not meet the government's needs.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be paying a premium due to the absence of competitive pressure. The government's ability to negotiate the best possible price is diminished in a sole-source scenario.

Public Impact

The Department of Justice benefits from specialized technical expertise for legal proceedings. Services will likely support litigation or investigations requiring water resource engineering knowledge. The geographic impact is national, as the Department of Justice operates nationwide. The contract supports a specific professional service, with minimal direct workforce implications beyond the contractor's staff.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competitive pricing and potentially increases cost to taxpayers.
Time and materials contract type can lead to cost overruns if not managed effectively.
Long contract duration requires sustained oversight to ensure continued value and performance.
Lack of transparency in the justification for sole-source award could mask inefficiencies.

Positive Signals

Contract awarded to a specialized firm (Wright Water Engineers, Inc.) suggesting a good fit for specific technical needs.
The contract duration indicates a potential long-term need for these critical expert services.
The Department of Justice is leveraging specialized expertise to support its mission.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically legal services and engineering consulting. The market for expert witness services is diverse, encompassing various technical and scientific disciplines. While specific benchmarks for sole-source expert witness contracts are hard to establish, the government frequently procures such services to support litigation. The value of this contract is moderate within the broader context of federal legal and consulting expenditures.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to have a small business set-aside. Given the specialized nature of expert witness services, particularly in technical fields like water engineering, it is possible that larger, specialized firms are often the most qualified. There is no indication of subcontracting requirements for small businesses within the provided data.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Department of Justice's contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures would be tied to the performance standards outlined in the contract and the time and materials reporting requirements. Transparency may be limited due to the sole-source nature of the award, as the justification and negotiation details are not publicly available. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse is suspected.

Related Government Programs

Federal Legal Services Procurement
Expert Witness Services
Engineering Consulting Services
Department of Justice Contracts
Sole-Source Procurements

Risk Flags

Sole-source award
Time and Materials pricing
Long contract duration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Justice awarded $499,228 to WRIGHT WATER ENGINEERS, INC.. EXPERT WITNESS SERVICES/FY26ECU092

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is WRIGHT WATER ENGINEERS, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Justice (Offices, Boards and Divisions).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $499,228.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-04-01. End: 2031-02-01.

What is the specific technical expertise Wright Water Engineers, Inc. brings to the Department of Justice, and how does it align with the agency's litigation needs?

Wright Water Engineers, Inc. specializes in water resources engineering, including hydrology, hydraulics, water quality, and environmental engineering. This expertise is crucial for legal cases involving water rights, environmental contamination, infrastructure disputes, or regulatory compliance related to water bodies. The Department of Justice likely requires these specialized skills for litigation where complex scientific and engineering evidence is central to the case. The firm's ability to analyze data, provide expert testimony, and interpret technical reports in these areas directly supports the agency's mission to enforce laws and litigate on behalf of the government, particularly in cases with significant environmental or resource management components.

How does the $4.99 million contract value compare to typical federal spending on expert witness services in similar legal domains?

Benchmarking this $4.99 million contract is challenging due to its sole-source nature and specific technical focus. Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, frequently engage expert witnesses across various disciplines, with costs ranging from thousands to millions of dollars depending on the complexity, duration, and contractor's reputation. Contracts for highly specialized engineering or scientific expertise in complex litigation can indeed reach several million dollars over multiple years. However, without a competitive process, it's impossible to definitively state if this value represents a fair market price or if a more competitive award could have yielded savings for taxpayers. The duration of nearly five years suggests a sustained need for these services, contributing to the overall contract value.

What are the primary risks associated with a sole-source award for expert witness services, and how can they be mitigated?

The primary risk of a sole-source award is the potential for inflated pricing due to the lack of competitive pressure, leading to reduced value for taxpayer money. Another risk is the possibility that a less-than-optimal contractor is chosen if the justification for uniqueness is weak. Mitigation strategies include rigorous justification of the sole-source requirement, ensuring the chosen contractor's qualifications are thoroughly vetted, and negotiating the best possible terms and rates. Robust contract management, including detailed monitoring of hours, expenses, and deliverables, is crucial to control costs and ensure performance aligns with the contract's objectives. Independent cost analysis, if feasible, could also provide a benchmark.

What does the time and materials (T&M) contract type imply for cost control and contractor performance?

A Time and Materials (T&M) contract type means the government pays the contractor based on the actual labor hours expended and the cost of materials used, plus a fixed fee or profit. This structure offers flexibility, especially when the scope of work is not precisely defined at the outset, as is often the case with expert witness services in evolving litigation. However, it carries a significant risk of cost overruns, as the contractor is incentivized to bill for more hours. Effective mitigation requires stringent oversight, including detailed timesheet reviews, approval of overtime, monitoring of material costs, and clear performance metrics to ensure the contractor is working efficiently and delivering the required expertise.

How does the contract's duration (1767 days) impact the assessment of its value and the government's commitment?

The contract duration of 1767 days, approximately 4.8 years, indicates a long-term need for the expert witness services provided by Wright Water Engineers, Inc. This extended period suggests that the Department of Justice anticipates ongoing litigation or investigations requiring sustained technical support. From a value perspective, a longer duration can sometimes lead to better rates if negotiated upfront, but it also locks the government into a specific provider. It implies a significant commitment of resources over multiple fiscal years, necessitating careful budget planning and continuous performance monitoring to ensure the services remain necessary and cost-effective throughout the contract's life.

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

Address: 2490 W 26TH AVE STE 100A, DENVER, CO, 80211

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $499,228

Exercised Options: $499,228

Current Obligation: $499,228

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline