VA awards $5.96M contract for West Los Angeles Master Plan to Guidon Design Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $5,964,155 ($6.0M)

Contractor: Guidon Design Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs

Start Date: 2025-09-29

End Date: 2027-09-29

Contract Duration: 730 days

Daily Burn Rate: $8.2K/day

Competition Type: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: WEST LOS ANGELES MASTER PLAN

Place of Performance

Location: LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES County, CALIFORNIA, 90073

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $6.0 million to GUIDON DESIGN INC for work described as: WEST LOS ANGELES MASTER PLAN Key points: 1. Contract awarded on a sole-source basis, limiting competitive pricing benefits. 2. The contract duration of 730 days suggests a significant scope of work. 3. Engineering services are critical for infrastructure development and planning. 4. The fixed-price contract type aims to control costs, but scope creep remains a risk. 5. Geographic focus on California indicates a specific regional need. 6. The award value is moderate for a master planning project of this nature.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this master plan contract is challenging without more detailed scope information. However, the $5.96 million award for a two-year duration suggests a substantial undertaking. Compared to similar large-scale urban planning or engineering design contracts, the pricing appears within a reasonable range, assuming the scope is comprehensive. The fixed-price nature provides cost certainty, but vigilance will be needed to ensure the contractor delivers the full scope without significant change orders that could inflate the final cost.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not openly competed. This approach is typically used when a specific contractor possesses unique capabilities or when circumstances preclude full and open competition. The lack of competition means that the government did not benefit from a range of proposals and potentially lower prices that could have resulted from a competitive bidding process. This raises questions about whether the best possible value was secured for taxpayer funds.

Taxpayer Impact: Sole-source awards limit the government's ability to leverage competition to drive down prices, potentially leading to higher costs for taxpayers. It also reduces transparency in the procurement process.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiary is the Department of Veterans Affairs, which will receive planning services for the West Los Angeles campus. The services delivered will focus on developing a comprehensive master plan, likely encompassing infrastructure, facilities, and land use. The geographic impact is concentrated in West Los Angeles, California. Workforce implications may include the need for specialized engineering and planning professionals, both within the contractor's firm and potentially for oversight roles within the VA.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits price competition and potential value for money.
Lack of detailed scope in the provided data makes comprehensive value assessment difficult.
Fixed-price contract can lead to cost overruns if scope is not tightly managed.

Positive Signals

Contract awarded to a specific firm (Guidon Design Inc.) suggesting specialized expertise.
Fixed-price contract provides cost certainty if scope is well-defined and managed.
Contract duration of two years indicates a substantial and important project.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Engineering Services sector (NAICS 541330), which encompasses firms that provide engineering design services for various projects. The market for such services is competitive, with many firms capable of undertaking master planning. The $5.96 million award is a moderate-sized contract within this sector. Comparable spending benchmarks for large-scale campus master plans can vary widely based on size, complexity, and location, but this award appears to be in line with projects of significant scope.

Small Business Impact

The provided data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses, nor does it explicitly mention subcontracting requirements for small businesses. As a sole-source award, the opportunities for small business participation are likely limited to what Guidon Design Inc. may voluntarily include in its subcontracting plan. This contract does not appear to directly support the small business ecosystem through set-asides.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will primarily reside with the Department of Veterans Affairs contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures will be tied to the terms and conditions of the fixed-price definitive contract, including performance milestones and deliverables. Transparency is somewhat limited due to the sole-source nature of the award. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected.

Related Government Programs

Department of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Realization and Management (CARM)
Federal Real Property Management
Urban Planning and Development Contracts
Engineering and Architectural Services

Risk Flags

Sole-source award
Limited competition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $6.0 million to GUIDON DESIGN INC. WEST LOS ANGELES MASTER PLAN

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GUIDON DESIGN INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Veterans Affairs (Department of Veterans Affairs).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $6.0 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2025-09-29. End: 2027-09-29.

What is the specific scope of work for the West Los Angeles Master Plan, and how does it align with the VA's long-term strategic goals for the campus?

The specific scope of work for the West Los Angeles Master Plan is not detailed in the provided data. However, master plans typically involve comprehensive assessments of existing facilities, infrastructure, land use, and environmental factors, leading to a strategic vision for future development. For the VA's West Los Angeles campus, this likely includes optimizing space utilization, modernizing healthcare facilities, improving accessibility, and potentially addressing housing or community integration needs. The plan's alignment with VA's strategic goals would depend on whether it supports the agency's mission to provide healthcare and benefits to veterans, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure sustainable campus management. A detailed review of the Statement of Work (SOW) would be necessary to fully assess this alignment.

How does the $5.96 million award compare to other large-scale campus master planning contracts awarded by federal agencies?

Comparing the $5.96 million award for the West Los Angeles Master Plan requires context regarding the scale and complexity of the campus and the specific deliverables. Large-scale campus master plans, especially for significant federal installations like VA medical centers, can range from a few million to tens of millions of dollars. Factors influencing cost include the acreage, the number and type of existing facilities, the depth of analysis required (e.g., environmental impact studies, seismic assessments, traffic studies), and the desired level of detail in the final plan. Without specific benchmarks for comparable VA or other federal agency master plans of similar scope and complexity, it's difficult to definitively state if this award represents a high, low, or average value. However, for a two-year project on a major campus, the amount appears to be within a plausible range for comprehensive planning services.

What are the potential risks associated with a sole-source award for a significant master planning contract?

A sole-source award for a significant master planning contract carries several potential risks. Primarily, the absence of competition means the government may not achieve the most favorable pricing, as there is no pressure from competing bids to drive down costs. This can lead to a higher overall expenditure for taxpayers. Furthermore, without a competitive process, there's a reduced opportunity to evaluate a wider range of innovative approaches or specialized expertise that different firms might offer. The government also loses the benefit of comparing different methodologies and technical solutions. Finally, sole-source awards can sometimes raise perceptions of a lack of transparency or fairness in the procurement process, even if legally justified.

What is Guidon Design Inc.'s track record with the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies for similar master planning or engineering services?

Information regarding Guidon Design Inc.'s specific track record with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other federal agencies for master planning or similar engineering services is not provided in the data. To assess their suitability and past performance, a review of federal contract databases (like SAM.gov or FPDS) would be necessary to identify previous awards, contract values, performance evaluations, and the types of services rendered. Understanding their history with the VA, in particular, would provide insight into their familiarity with VA standards, processes, and campus environments. A strong performance history on similar projects would mitigate some of the risks associated with awarding a sole-source contract.

How will the success of this master plan be measured, and what are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for Guidon Design Inc. under this contract?

The success of this master plan contract will likely be measured by the timely delivery of high-quality planning documents that meet the requirements outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW). Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) would typically include adherence to project schedules, completion of all required analyses and reports, the clarity and usability of the final master plan, and compliance with any specific VA guidelines or standards. The contract's fixed-price nature implies that meeting these deliverables within the agreed-upon budget is a primary measure of success. The VA's contracting officer's representative (COR) would be responsible for monitoring progress and evaluating the contractor's performance against these KPIs throughout the contract period.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services › Engineering Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 36C10F25R0060

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1221 N PENNSYLVANIA ST STE 200, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, 46202

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,964,155

Exercised Options: $5,964,155

Current Obligation: $5,964,155

Actual Outlays: $860,051

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline