Department of Labor awards $4.08M contract for Job Corps Safety Hotline to Telling Your Story LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,080,789 ($4.1M)

Contractor: Telling Your Story LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Labor

Start Date: 2023-03-02

End Date: 2026-06-01

Contract Duration: 1,187 days

Daily Burn Rate: $3.4K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: JOB CORPS SAFETY HOTLINE

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20210

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Labor obligated $4.1 million to TELLING YOUR STORY LLC for work described as: JOB CORPS SAFETY HOTLINE Key points: 1. Contract awarded on a sole-source basis, limiting potential for competitive pricing. 2. The contract duration of nearly 4 years suggests a need for sustained service delivery. 3. Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services are broad, requiring clarity on specific deliverables. 4. The fixed-price contract type aims to control costs, but scope creep could still impact final expenditure. 5. Performance is located in Washington D.C., indicating a localized impact for this federal service.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this contract is challenging without detailed service descriptions and performance metrics. The $4.08 million price tag over approximately 4 years for a safety hotline service needs to be evaluated against the scope of services provided. Given the sole-source nature, it's difficult to compare pricing directly to market rates or similar contracts that underwent competitive bidding. The value proposition hinges on the effectiveness and efficiency of the hotline's operations in supporting Job Corps safety.

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 only one vendor can provide the required service, or in specific circumstances defined by federal acquisition regulations. The lack of competition means that the Department of Labor did not benefit from a bidding process that could have potentially driven down costs or spurred innovation from multiple offerors.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may not have received the best possible price due to the absence of a competitive bidding process. The government's ability to negotiate favorable terms is reduced when only one vendor is considered.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are likely the participants and staff within the Job Corps program, who will have access to a dedicated safety hotline. The service delivered is administrative support for safety incident reporting and management within the Job Corps. The geographic impact is primarily within the District of Columbia, where the contractor is located, but the service supports Job Corps nationwide. Workforce implications are indirect, focusing on ensuring a safe working and learning environment for Job Corps personnel and students.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competitive pressure on pricing and service innovation.
Lack of detailed performance metrics makes it difficult to assess effectiveness and value for money.
Broad service category (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) requires careful monitoring to ensure alignment with hotline needs.

Positive Signals

Firm fixed-price contract provides cost certainty for the government.
Contract duration of nearly 4 years indicates a stable, long-term need for the service.
Focus on a safety hotline addresses a critical aspect of program operations.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services sector, a broad category encompassing a wide range of professional services. The market for such services is competitive, but specific niche services like a dedicated safety hotline for a federal program may have fewer specialized providers. The total federal spending on administrative and management consulting services is substantial, with individual contracts varying widely in scope and value.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not awarded to a small business, nor does it appear to have specific small business set-aside provisions. There is no explicit information regarding subcontracting plans for small businesses. Therefore, this contract does not directly contribute to the small business contracting goals of the Department of Labor through prime award, and its impact on the small business ecosystem is likely minimal unless the prime contractor actively engages small businesses as subcontractors.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically reside within the Department of Labor's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM). Accountability measures would be defined in the contract's terms and conditions, including performance standards and reporting requirements. Transparency is facilitated through contract databases like FPDS, but detailed operational oversight and performance reviews are internal agency functions. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse is suspected.

Related Government Programs

Job Corps Program Administration
Federal Safety and Health Services
Administrative Support Services
Call Center Operations

Risk Flags

Sole-source award may limit cost-effectiveness.
Lack of competition could reduce innovation.
Performance metrics need careful monitoring for effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Labor awarded $4.1 million to TELLING YOUR STORY LLC. JOB CORPS SAFETY HOTLINE

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is TELLING YOUR STORY LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Labor (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $4.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-03-02. End: 2026-06-01.

What specific services are included under 'Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services' for this safety hotline?

The contract description 'JOB CORPS SAFETY HOTLINE' and the NAICS code '541611' (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) suggest the scope likely includes managing the operational aspects of the hotline. This could encompass receiving and logging safety-related calls, providing initial guidance or directing callers to appropriate resources, maintaining records of incidents, and potentially generating reports for the Department of Labor. The 'Telling Your Story LLC' contract details do not provide granular service breakdowns, but the core function is to serve as a point of contact for safety concerns within the Job Corps program. Further clarification would require reviewing the Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW) associated with the contract.

How does the $4.08 million cost compare to similar safety hotline services in the federal government?

Direct comparison of the $4.08 million cost for this specific Job Corps Safety Hotline contract to similar federal services is difficult without more detailed information on the scope, volume of calls handled, and service level agreements. Federal contracts for call centers and administrative support vary significantly based on these factors. However, given that this is a sole-source award over approximately 3.7 years (March 2023 to June 2026), the annual cost averages around $1.1 million. This figure needs to be assessed against the number of Job Corps centers and participants served to determine if it represents a reasonable investment for ensuring safety communication channels.

What are the potential risks associated with a sole-source award for this critical safety function?

The primary risk of a sole-source award is the lack of competitive pressure, which can lead to higher costs than might be achieved through a competitive process. It also limits the government's ability to explore innovative solutions that other vendors might offer. For a critical function like a safety hotline, there's also a risk if the sole-source provider experiences performance issues, financial instability, or fails to meet contractual obligations, as transitioning to a new provider could be complex and disruptive. Ensuring robust oversight and clear performance metrics becomes even more crucial in sole-source situations to mitigate these risks.

What is the track record of 'Telling Your Story LLC' in managing federal contracts, particularly those related to safety or hotline services?

Information regarding the specific track record of 'Telling Your Story LLC' in managing federal contracts, especially those related to safety or hotline services, is not detailed in the provided data. Federal procurement databases would need to be consulted for a comprehensive history of their performance, past contract values, agencies served, and any performance reviews or awards. Without this historical data, it is challenging to assess their experience and reliability in fulfilling the requirements of the Job Corps Safety Hotline contract.

How will the effectiveness of the Job Corps Safety Hotline be measured under this contract?

The effectiveness of the Job Corps Safety Hotline under this contract will be measured through specific performance metrics outlined in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW). These metrics typically include factors such as call answer times, call resolution rates, accuracy of information provided, user satisfaction (if measured), and timely reporting of incidents. The Department of Labor's contracting officer and technical monitors are responsible for overseeing performance against these metrics and ensuring the contractor meets the required standards to maintain a functional and effective safety communication channel for the Job Corps program.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 1605C2-23-Q-00015

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 3939 VAN NESS ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC, 20016

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Black American Owned Business, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $4,080,789

Exercised Options: $4,080,789

Current Obligation: $4,080,789

Actual Outlays: $3,621,601

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline