SSA's $304K BPA for Medical Consultants in NY Lacks Competition, Raises Oversight Concerns
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $30,453 ($30.5K)
Contractor: Robert E Campion MD
Awarding Agency: Social Security Administration
Start Date: 2026-04-02
End Date: 2026-06-30
Contract Duration: 89 days
Daily Burn Rate: $342/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Healthcare
Official Description: BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR MEDICAL CONSULTANT SERVICES IN THE NORTHEAST REGION (NEW YORK). REVIEWS BY MEDICAL CONSULTANT OF DISABILITY CLAIM CASE FILES FOR AGENCY DISABILITY PROGRAM. CALL ORDER FOR INDEPENDENT CASE REVIEWS.
Place of Performance
Location: MONTCLAIR, ESSEX County, NEW JERSEY, 07042
Plain-Language Summary
Social Security Administration obligated $30,453 to ROBERT E CAMPION MD for work described as: BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR MEDICAL CONSULTANT SERVICES IN THE NORTHEAST REGION (NEW YORK). REVIEWS BY MEDICAL CONSULTANT OF DISABILITY CLAIM CASE FILES FOR AGENCY DISABILITY PROGRAM. CALL ORDER FOR INDEPENDENT CASE REVIEWS. Key points: 1. The Social Security Administration (SSA) awarded a $304,530 Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for medical consultant services. 2. The contract is for reviewing disability claim case files in the Northeast Region. 3. This BPA was not competed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), raising questions about price discovery. 4. The services fall under the 'Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists' NAICS code. 5. The contract duration is 89 days, with an end date of June 30, 2026.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract is a BPA call against an unspecified existing agreement. Without knowing the terms of the base agreement or the pricing structure for these specific services, it's difficult to assess value. The lack of competition for this call order further complicates a robust pricing assessment.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: limited
The contract was not competed under SAP, indicating a limited competition approach. This method may not yield the best prices for the government as it restricts the pool of potential offerors and reduces price pressure.
Taxpayer Impact: The limited competition may result in higher costs for taxpayers compared to a fully competed contract.
Public Impact
Taxpayers may be paying more than necessary due to the lack of competitive bidding. The efficiency of the disability claims review process could be impacted if consultant quality is not optimized through competition. The SSA's reliance on non-competed BPA calls could indicate systemic issues in procurement planning or execution.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of competition
- Limited transparency on pricing
- Potential for inflated costs
Positive Signals
- Addresses a critical agency need for disability claim reviews
- Fixed-price contract provides some cost certainty
Sector Analysis
The healthcare services sector, particularly medical consulting, often involves specialized expertise. Benchmarking costs in this area can be challenging due to varying levels of specialization and regional cost differences. However, competitive bidding is generally expected to drive efficiency and cost savings.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was not awarded to small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses were excluded or if the nature of the requirement precluded their participation.
Oversight & Accountability
The use of a BPA call without clear justification for limited competition warrants closer oversight. The agency should ensure that such awards are properly documented and that efforts are made to promote competition where feasible.
Related Government Programs
- Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists
- Social Security Administration Contracting
- Social Security Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of competition for BPA call
- Potential for above-market pricing
- Limited transparency on contract specifics
- No small business participation indicated
Tags
offices-of-physicians-mental-health-spec, social-security-administration, nj, bpa-call, under-100k
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Social Security Administration awarded $30,453 to ROBERT E CAMPION MD. BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR MEDICAL CONSULTANT SERVICES IN THE NORTHEAST REGION (NEW YORK). REVIEWS BY MEDICAL CONSULTANT OF DISABILITY CLAIM CASE FILES FOR AGENCY DISABILITY PROGRAM. CALL ORDER FOR INDEPENDENT CASE REVIEWS.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is ROBERT E CAMPION MD.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Social Security Administration (Social Security Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $30,453.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2026-04-02. End: 2026-06-30.
What is the specific base agreement under which this BPA call was issued, and what were the original competition and pricing terms?
The provided data does not specify the base agreement for this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) call. Understanding the terms of the original agreement, including its competitive history and pricing structure, is crucial for a comprehensive value assessment. Without this information, it's difficult to determine if this call order represents a fair price or leverages pre-negotiated favorable terms.
What is the justification for not competing this BPA call under SAP, and how does the agency ensure fair and reasonable pricing in such instances?
The data states the contract was 'NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP,' but does not provide the specific justification. Agencies typically require documentation for limited competition, such as specific exceptions or sole-source justifications. Ensuring fair and reasonable pricing without competition often relies on historical pricing, market research, or certified cost or pricing data from the contractor.
How does the SSA ensure the quality and effectiveness of medical consultant services provided under this BPA, especially given the limited competition?
The SSA's quality assurance processes for these services are not detailed in the provided data. With limited competition, robust performance monitoring and quality control become even more critical. The agency should have mechanisms in place to track consultant performance, review case file accuracy, and ensure adherence to established protocols to guarantee the effectiveness of the disability claim reviews.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Health Care and Social Assistance › Offices of Physicians › Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists
Product/Service Code: MEDICAL SERVICES › OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP
Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 25 BRUNSWICK RD, MONTCLAIR, NJ, 07042
Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Sole Proprietorship, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $30,453
Exercised Options: $30,453
Current Obligation: $30,453
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 28321321AC0240001
IDV Type: BPA
Timeline
Start Date: 2026-04-02
Current End Date: 2026-06-30
Potential End Date: 2026-06-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-02
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