State Dept. Awards $452K for Mobile Services to Foreign Awardees in Option Year 4
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $452,576 ($452.6K)
Contractor: Miscellaneous Foreign Awardees
Awarding Agency: Department of State
Start Date: 2026-01-06
End Date: 2026-01-30
Contract Duration: 24 days
Daily Burn Rate: $18.9K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: MTN MISSION WIDE MOBILE SERVICES - OPTION YEAR 4 JAN 2026
Plain-Language Summary
Department of State obligated $452,576.49 to MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN AWARDEES for work described as: MTN MISSION WIDE MOBILE SERVICES - OPTION YEAR 4 JAN 2026 Key points: 1. Spending is for mission-wide mobile services, indicating essential operational support. 2. Competition was full and open, suggesting a potentially competitive pricing environment. 3. The awardee is a miscellaneous foreign awardee, raising questions about domestic economic impact. 4. The sector is primarily administrative/telecommunications support, not core defense or infrastructure.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $452,576.49 for 24 months appears reasonable for specialized mobile services. However, without specific service details or benchmarks for foreign awardees, a precise comparison is difficult.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, which generally promotes competitive pricing. The use of a delivery order under a larger contract structure suggests a streamlined procurement process.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer impact is moderate, given the relatively small contract value for essential government communication services.
Public Impact
Ensures continued communication capabilities for State Department missions abroad. Supports operational continuity for diplomatic and consular functions. Potential for foreign economic benefit due to the awardee's location.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Awardee is a foreign entity, potentially limiting domestic economic benefits.
- Lack of specific service details makes deep value assessment challenging.
Positive Signals
- Awarded under full and open competition.
- Supports critical government operations.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the telecommunications and administrative support sector. Spending benchmarks for similar services can vary widely based on geographic location and service scope, but this award appears to be a modest investment.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates the awardee is a 'Miscellaneous Foreign Awardee' and that small business participation was not applicable (ss: false, sb: false). This suggests no direct benefit to U.S. small businesses from this specific award.
Oversight & Accountability
The Department of State is responsible for oversight. As a delivery order under a broader contract, oversight may be managed through the parent contract's framework, but specific details on this option year's oversight are not provided.
Related Government Programs
- Telephone Answering Services
- Department of State Contracting
- Department of State Programs
Risk Flags
- Foreign awardee may limit domestic economic impact.
- Lack of detailed service scope hinders granular value assessment.
- Potential security and reliability concerns with foreign telecommunications providers.
- Limited transparency on specific performance metrics and oversight mechanisms.
Tags
telephone-answering-services, department-of-state, delivery-order, 100k-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of State awarded $452,576.49 to MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN AWARDEES. MTN MISSION WIDE MOBILE SERVICES - OPTION YEAR 4 JAN 2026
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN AWARDEES.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of State (Department of State).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $452,576.49.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2026-01-06. End: 2026-01-30.
What is the specific nature of the 'mission wide mobile services' and how do they differ from standard commercial offerings?
The provided data lacks specifics on the 'mission wide mobile services.' Typically, such services for government agencies, especially abroad, might include secure communication lines, specialized data transmission, or robust connectivity solutions tailored to challenging environments. Understanding these specifics is crucial to assess if the price reflects unique requirements or standard market rates.
What are the risks associated with awarding telecommunications contracts to foreign entities, particularly regarding data security and reliability?
Awarding telecommunications contracts to foreign entities can introduce risks related to data security, compliance with U.S. regulations, and service reliability. Ensuring robust security protocols, clear lines of accountability, and contingency plans for service disruptions is paramount. The State Department likely has specific vetting and security requirements for such contracts to mitigate these potential risks.
How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar mobile service contracts awarded by the government to domestic providers for comparable regions?
A direct comparison is difficult without more detailed service specifications and cost breakdowns. While the contract was competitively procured, the 'foreign awardee' status introduces variables. Benchmarking against domestic contracts would require identifying contracts with similar scope, duration, and geographic operational complexity, adjusting for potential differences in labor costs and regulatory environments.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Business Support Services › Telephone Answering Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - END USER
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 1800 F ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC, 20405
Business Categories: Category Business, Foreign Owned, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $3,350,858
Exercised Options: $452,576
Current Obligation: $452,576
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 19ZA6022D0001
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2026-01-06
Current End Date: 2026-01-30
Potential End Date: 2026-12-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-01
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