Guidehouse LLP received $29.1M for VHA Community Care BPA Call 8, supporting Choice and Mission Act implementation

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $29,087,749 ($29.1M)

Contractor: Guidehouse LLP

Awarding Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs

Start Date: 2018-09-26

End Date: 2020-01-18

Contract Duration: 479 days

Daily Burn Rate: $60.7K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: VHA COMMUNITY CARE BPA CALL 8 - CHOICE AND MISSION ACT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20420

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $29.1 million to GUIDEHOUSE LLP for work described as: VHA COMMUNITY CARE BPA CALL 8 - CHOICE AND MISSION ACT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT Key points: 1. The contract value of $29.1M for administrative management and general management consulting services appears to be a significant investment in program implementation support. 2. The firm fixed-price contract type suggests that the contractor bears the risk of cost overruns, which can be beneficial for the government. 3. The duration of 479 days indicates a substantial, multi-year effort for the program's implementation. 4. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a robust bidding process. 5. The specific NAICS code (541611) points to a focus on management consulting, aligning with the stated purpose of program implementation support. 6. The contract's geographic focus on Washington D.C. (ST: DC) may indicate a concentration of administrative or policy-related activities. 7. The absence of small business set-aside flags suggests that the competition was not specifically targeted towards small businesses.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking this contract's value is challenging without more specific details on the scope of services provided under BPA Call 8. However, the $29.1 million expenditure over approximately 16 months for management consulting services related to a major healthcare program implementation suggests a considerable investment. Without comparable contract data for similar program implementation support, it's difficult to definitively assess value for money. The firm fixed-price nature is a positive indicator for cost control, but the overall value hinges on the effectiveness and efficiency of the services delivered.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION,' indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit bids. This approach is generally favored as it maximizes the pool of potential offerors and is expected to drive competitive pricing. The number of bidders is not specified, but the open competition suggests a potentially robust process that could lead to better price discovery and a wider range of solutions.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is beneficial for taxpayers as it increases the likelihood of obtaining the best value by fostering a competitive environment that can drive down costs and improve service quality.

Public Impact

Veterans are the primary beneficiaries, as the contract supports the implementation of programs aimed at improving their access to community care. The services delivered are focused on administrative management and general management consulting, crucial for the successful rollout of the Choice and Mission Act. The geographic impact is primarily centered around the District of Columbia, suggesting a focus on national-level policy implementation or administrative oversight. Workforce implications may include the need for specialized consulting expertise to manage and execute complex healthcare program implementations.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if implementation details are not tightly managed.
Reliance on external consultants may not build long-term internal capacity for the VA.
Effectiveness of consulting services is difficult to measure without clear performance metrics.

Positive Signals

Supports critical VA healthcare initiatives like the Choice and Mission Act.
Firm fixed-price contract can provide cost certainty for the government.
Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive process.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically management consulting. The market for government management consulting is substantial, with agencies frequently seeking external expertise for complex program implementations, policy analysis, and operational improvements. The Department of Veterans Affairs, as a large federal agency, is a significant consumer of these services, particularly in areas related to healthcare delivery and program modernization. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve looking at other large-scale program implementation contracts within the federal government, especially those managed by health-focused agencies.

Small Business Impact

The contract data indicates that this was not a small business set-aside, and there is no explicit mention of subcontracting goals for small businesses. This suggests that the primary competition was likely among larger firms capable of handling the scope and complexity of the requirement. The impact on the small business ecosystem is likely minimal for this specific award, as it does not appear to have been structured to directly benefit small businesses through set-asides or mandated subcontracting.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the Department of Veterans Affairs' contracting and program management offices. Accountability measures would be defined by the contract's performance work statement and the established milestones. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse related to the contract were suspected.

Related Government Programs

VA Community Care Programs
Choice and Mission Act
Federal Management Consulting Services
Healthcare Program Implementation Support
Large-scale Federal Contracts

Risk Flags

Potential for cost overruns if scope is not well-defined (mitigated by FFP).
Risk of contractor not meeting performance expectations.
Dependency on external expertise may limit internal VA capacity building.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $29.1 million to GUIDEHOUSE LLP. VHA COMMUNITY CARE BPA CALL 8 - CHOICE AND MISSION ACT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GUIDEHOUSE LLP.

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 $29.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2018-09-26. End: 2020-01-18.

What specific deliverables were expected from Guidehouse LLP under this BPA Call 8?

While the provided data specifies the contract's purpose as 'VHA COMMUNITY CARE BPA CALL 8 - CHOICE AND MISSION ACT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT,' it does not detail the specific deliverables. Typically, for such implementation support contracts, deliverables would include strategic plans, process improvement recommendations, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement strategies, training materials, and project management reports. The exact nature and scope of these deliverables would be outlined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW) associated with the BPA Call. These documents are crucial for understanding the precise services rendered and evaluating the contractor's performance and the value received by the VA.

How does the $29.1 million contract value compare to other VA community care implementation support contracts?

Directly comparing the $29.1 million value without knowing the specific scope, duration, and complexity of services rendered is difficult. However, for large-scale federal program implementations, especially within healthcare, expenditures in the tens of millions of dollars over one to two years are not uncommon. The VA's community care initiatives, like the Choice and Mission Acts, are complex and require significant administrative and management support. To provide a precise comparison, one would need to analyze similar BPA calls or task orders issued by the VA or other large health agencies for comparable program implementation efforts, looking at factors like the number of beneficiaries impacted, the geographic reach, and the criticality of the program being implemented.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to assess Guidehouse LLP's performance on this contract?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. However, for a contract focused on program implementation support, KPIs would likely revolve around the timely achievement of project milestones, the quality and usability of deliverables (e.g., reports, recommendations), adherence to budget (though less critical for FFP), stakeholder satisfaction (e.g., VA program managers, end-users), and the overall effectiveness of the implemented strategies in supporting the Choice and Mission Act's objectives. These KPIs would be formally defined in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) and used for performance evaluations.

What is the historical spending trend for VHA Community Care BPA Call 8 or similar contracts?

The provided data represents a single BPA Call (Call 8) awarded under a larger Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) or Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). To understand historical spending trends, one would need to examine all previous calls issued under this BPA, as well as other related BPAs or contracts for VHA community care implementation support. Without access to that broader contract history, it's impossible to determine a trend. However, given the ongoing nature of healthcare reform and program modernization within the VA, it is plausible that spending on such support services has been consistent or increasing as new initiatives are launched and existing ones are refined.

What risks were identified during the procurement process for this contract, and how were they mitigated?

The provided data does not include information on risks identified during the procurement process or their mitigation strategies. Typically, for a full and open competition, a Risk Mitigation Plan might be part of the proposal evaluation, or specific contract clauses would address potential risks. For a management consulting contract supporting program implementation, common risks could include contractor performance issues, scope creep, cost overruns (less likely with FFP), security breaches (if handling sensitive data), and failure to meet deadlines. Mitigation strategies often involve robust contract oversight, clear performance standards, regular progress reviews, and defined remedies for non-performance.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Pricewaterhousecoopers Public Sector LLP

Address: 1800 TYSONS BLVD FL 7, MCLEAN, VA, 22102

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $35,274,405

Exercised Options: $29,087,749

Current Obligation: $29,087,749

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: VA119A16A0014

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline