Interior's $17.1M McKissack & McKissack Contract Awarded Sole Source for District of Columbia Services

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $17,148,809 ($17.1M)

Contractor: Mckissack & Mckissack, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2003-09-15

End Date: 2007-03-30

Contract Duration: 1,292 days

Daily Burn Rate: $13.3K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20242

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $17.1 million to MCKISSACK & MCKISSACK, INC. for work described as: Key points: 1. Contract awarded to McKissack & McKissack, Inc. for $17.1 million. 2. Services provided in the District of Columbia. 3. Contract duration was 1292 days. 4. Awarded under a sole-source basis. 5. Firm Fixed Price contract type.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $17.1 million for services in DC over approximately 3.5 years is substantial. Without specific service details or benchmarks, it's difficult to definitively assess value for money. The sole-source nature raises concerns about potential overpricing.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning competition was not sought. This significantly limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers compared to a competitive procurement.

Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition in this sole-source award may have resulted in higher costs than necessary, impacting taxpayer funds.

Public Impact

Taxpayers may have paid more due to the absence of competitive bidding. The sole-source award limits transparency in how the contract price was determined. The long duration suggests a significant need for the services provided.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competition and price discovery.
Lack of detailed service description makes value assessment difficult.
High contract value without clear justification.

Positive Signals

Contract was awarded to a specific firm for a defined period.
Firm Fixed Price contract provides cost certainty for the government.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under general professional services. Without knowing the specific nature of the services, it's hard to benchmark against sector-specific spending. However, large sole-source awards warrant scrutiny regardless of the sector.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not awarded to small businesses, as both 'ss' and 'sb' fields are false. This suggests larger firms were engaged for these services.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award raises questions about the oversight process that led to foregoing competition. Further review would be needed to understand the justification and ensure accountability.

Related Government Programs

Department of the Interior Contracting
National Park Service Programs

Risk Flags

Sole-source award.
Lack of competition.
Potential for inflated pricing.
Limited transparency on service details.
No small business participation indicated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $17.1 million to MCKISSACK & MCKISSACK, INC.. See the official description on USAspending.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is MCKISSACK & MCKISSACK, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (National Park Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $17.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2003-09-15. End: 2007-03-30.

What specific services were procured under this $17.1 million sole-source contract, and how was the necessity for a sole-source justification determined?

The provided data does not specify the exact services rendered. A sole-source justification typically requires demonstrating that only one responsible source can provide the required supplies or services, often due to unique capabilities, urgent needs, or specific compatibility requirements. Without this documentation, the rationale for bypassing competition remains unclear.

What was the process for determining the 'firm fixed price' for this sole-source contract, and how does it compare to potential prices in a competitive environment?

Determining a firm fixed price for a sole-source contract often involves negotiation based on the contractor's proposed costs, historical pricing, or independent government cost estimates. Without a competitive bidding process, there's no market-driven validation of the price. It's plausible that the price could be higher than if multiple firms had competed, as the incentive to offer the lowest competitive bid is absent.

What was the ultimate impact or outcome of the services provided by McKissack & McKissack, Inc. under this contract for the National Park Service?

The data provided focuses on the award details and financial aspects of the contract, not its performance or outcomes. Assessing the ultimate impact would require reviewing performance reports, project completion documentation, and stakeholder feedback related to the services delivered. The duration and value suggest a significant undertaking, but its success is not quantifiable from this dataset.

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Contractor Details

Address: 1401 NEW YORK AVE NW # 90, WASHINGTON, DC, 98

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Woman Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $17,148,809

Exercised Options: $17,148,809

Current Obligation: $17,148,809

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: C3059020904

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline