State Department Awards $4.19M Contract for Security Guards in Helsinki
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $4,186,550 ($4.2M)
Contractor: Torres-Avarn Security LLC
Awarding Agency: Department of State
Start Date: 2025-10-01
End Date: 2026-09-30
Contract Duration: 364 days
Daily Burn Rate: $11.5K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS
Sector: Other
Official Description: OGS -- US MISSION HELSINKI, FINLAND
Plain-Language Summary
Department of State obligated $4.2 million to TORRES-AVARN SECURITY LLC for work described as: OGS -- US MISSION HELSINKI, FINLAND Key points: 1. Contract awarded to TORRES-AVARN SECURITY LLC for security guard services. 2. Full and open competition was utilized for this procurement. 3. The contract duration is one year, with a total value of $4.19 million. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 561612.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract is a time and materials type, which can lead to cost overruns if not managed carefully. The awarded value of $4.19 million for one year of security services needs to be benchmarked against similar contracts for guard services in comparable geographic locations to assess its reasonableness.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The use of full and open competition suggests a robust price discovery process. However, the time and materials pricing structure could potentially inflate costs if the scope of work or hours required are not precisely defined and controlled.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used for essential security services abroad. The effectiveness of the competition and contract management will determine the overall value for taxpayer money.
Public Impact
Ensures security for the US Mission in Helsinki, Finland. Supports a private sector company providing essential security services. The contract's duration and value indicate a significant operational need. Potential for cost increases due to the time and materials contract type.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Time and Materials contract type
- Lack of specific performance metrics in provided data
Positive Signals
- Full and open competition utilized
- Contract awarded to a specific company
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under the security and protective services sector. Benchmarking against similar government contracts for security guards in overseas locations would be necessary to fully assess cost-effectiveness.
Small Business Impact
The provided data does not indicate if small businesses were involved in this procurement, either as prime contractors or subcontractors.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight will be crucial to monitor the hours and materials used under this time and materials contract to ensure costs remain within reasonable limits and that services meet the required standards.
Related Government Programs
- Security Guards and Patrol Services
- Department of State Contracting
- Department of State Programs
Risk Flags
- Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials contract type.
- Lack of specific performance metrics in the provided data.
- Need for benchmarking against similar overseas security contracts.
- Unclear small business participation.
Tags
security-guards-and-patrol-services, department-of-state, definitive-contract, 1m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of State awarded $4.2 million to TORRES-AVARN SECURITY LLC. OGS -- US MISSION HELSINKI, FINLAND
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is TORRES-AVARN SECURITY LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of State (Department of State).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $4.2 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2025-10-01. End: 2026-09-30.
What is the estimated hourly rate for security personnel under this contract, and how does it compare to industry standards for Helsinki?
Without specific details on the number of personnel and their roles, calculating an exact hourly rate is not possible from the provided data. However, the total contract value of $4.19 million over 364 days suggests an average daily cost of approximately $11,502. This figure needs to be broken down by personnel type and hours to compare against local market rates for security guards in Helsinki to determine if it represents good value.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the security services, and how will performance be measured and enforced?
The provided data does not specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) or the methods for performance measurement and enforcement. Effective oversight requires clearly defined metrics for response times, patrol effectiveness, incident reporting, and personnel conduct. Without these, it is difficult to assess the risk of substandard service delivery and ensure accountability.
What is the process for managing and approving any potential cost increases or changes to the scope of work under this time and materials contract?
The management and approval process for changes under a time and materials contract is critical for controlling costs. The Department of State should have established procedures for reviewing and approving any deviations from the original scope or estimated hours. Robust oversight is needed to prevent scope creep and ensure that all expenditures are justified and aligned with mission security needs.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Investigation and Security Services › Security Guards and Patrol Services
Product/Service Code: UTILITIES AND HOUSEKEEPING › HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Solicitation ID: 19AQMM24R0108
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 7389 LEE HWY, FALLS CHURCH, VA, 22042
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $32,197,554
Exercised Options: $6,191,996
Current Obligation: $4,186,550
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2025-10-01
Current End Date: 2026-09-30
Potential End Date: 2030-09-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-03-30
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