SEC's $3.89M intelligence analytics subscription awarded to SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC via full and open competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $3,886,840 ($3.9M)

Contractor: Slam Technical Services LLC

Awarding Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission

Start Date: 2021-08-05

End Date: 2026-08-13

Contract Duration: 1,834 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.1K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 12

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: SUBSCRIPTION TO A COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS TOOLS- ADVANCED ANALYTICS AND EXAM MANAGEMENT LICENSES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20001

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Securities and Exchange Commission obligated $3.9 million to SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC for work described as: SUBSCRIPTION TO A COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS TOOLS- ADVANCED ANALYTICS AND EXAM MANAGEMENT LICENSES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Key points: 1. The contract provides essential intelligence and analytics tools, supporting advanced analysis and exam management. 2. Awarded through full and open competition, indicating a potentially competitive pricing environment. 3. The contract duration of over 5 years suggests a long-term need for these services. 4. The firm-fixed-price contract type shifts performance risk to the contractor. 5. The use of COTS software implies readily available market solutions. 6. The agency's primary use of this service is for internal operational support.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of approximately $3.89 million over five years for COTS intelligence and analytics tools appears reasonable when benchmarked against similar enterprise software subscriptions. While specific per-unit costs are not detailed, the overall price suggests the SEC is procuring a standard suite of tools rather than highly customized solutions. The firm-fixed-price nature of the award helps control costs for the government, provided the contractor can deliver the specified services within the agreed-upon budget. Further analysis would require comparing the specific features and user counts against market offerings.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, meaning all responsible sources were permitted to submit offers. The presence of 12 bids indicates a healthy level of competition for this requirement. A competitive bidding process generally leads to better price discovery and potentially lower costs for the government as contractors vie for the award. The significant number of bidders suggests that the market for these intelligence and analytics tools is robust and accessible.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive process that likely drives down the overall cost of these essential intelligence and analytics tools, ensuring the SEC obtains value for its investment.

Public Impact

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) benefits directly through enhanced capabilities in intelligence gathering and data analysis. The services delivered support advanced analytics and exam management, crucial for regulatory oversight. The primary geographic impact is within the District of Columbia, where the SEC is headquartered. The contract supports the SEC's mission to protect investors and maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if the COTS solution becomes deeply integrated into SEC workflows.
Reliance on a single contractor for critical intelligence and analytics tools could pose a risk if the contractor's performance degrades.
The long contract duration might limit the agency's ability to adopt newer, potentially more cost-effective technologies if they emerge during the contract period.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive market and potentially favorable pricing.
Firm-fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
The use of COTS software indicates the availability of established market solutions, reducing development risk.
A significant number of bids (12) demonstrates strong market interest and a competitive landscape.

Sector Analysis

The contract falls within the broader IT services sector, specifically focusing on software subscriptions and analytics tools. The market for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) intelligence and analytics platforms is substantial, with numerous vendors offering solutions for data analysis, threat intelligence, and operational efficiency. The SEC's spending aligns with government-wide trends towards leveraging advanced analytics to improve regulatory functions and decision-making. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve analyzing the average cost of similar enterprise-level analytics subscriptions across federal agencies.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not set aside for small businesses, and there is no indication of subcontracting requirements for small businesses. The award to SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC, a company that may or may not be a small business itself, does not appear to directly benefit the small business ecosystem through set-asides or mandated subcontracting. Further investigation into the contractor's size status and any voluntary subcontracting plans would be needed for a complete assessment.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight of this contract is managed by the Securities and Exchange Commission's contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures are embedded within the firm-fixed-price contract terms, requiring the contractor to deliver specified services. Transparency is facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS. The Inspector General for the SEC would have jurisdiction to investigate any potential fraud, waste, or abuse related to this contract.

Related Government Programs

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Services
Data Analytics Software
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Software Procurement
Regulatory Compliance Technology

Risk Flags

Potential vendor lock-in with COTS software.
Reliance on contractor's continued viability and support for critical tools.
Security risks inherent in third-party software.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Securities and Exchange Commission awarded $3.9 million to SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC. SUBSCRIPTION TO A COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS TOOLS- ADVANCED ANALYTICS AND EXAM MANAGEMENT LICENSES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Securities and Exchange Commission (Securities and Exchange Commission).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $3.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2021-08-05. End: 2026-08-13.

What is the specific nature of the 'intelligence and analytics tools' being procured, and how do they align with the SEC's core mission?

The contract specifies 'SUBSCRIPTION TO A COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS TOOLS- ADVANCED ANALYTICS AND EXAM MANAGEMENT LICENSES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS.' This suggests the SEC is acquiring software solutions designed to process, analyze, and visualize data to support its regulatory functions. These tools likely aid in identifying market manipulation, assessing financial risks, managing investigations, and improving overall market surveillance. The alignment with the SEC's mission is direct, as enhanced analytical capabilities are crucial for protecting investors, maintaining fair markets, and enforcing securities laws in an increasingly complex financial landscape. The specific functionalities would depend on the chosen COTS products, but generally encompass data aggregation, pattern recognition, predictive modeling, and reporting.

How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar COTS intelligence and analytics subscriptions in the federal market?

Benchmarking the pricing of this $3.89 million contract over five years requires detailed comparison with similar COTS intelligence and analytics subscriptions. Without knowing the specific vendors and the exact feature sets procured, a precise comparison is difficult. However, the contract's firm-fixed-price structure and the competitive award process (12 bidders) suggest that the SEC likely achieved a reasonable market price. Generally, federal agencies procure such tools on a per-user or per-module basis. The total contract value implies a significant number of users or extensive feature access. Agencies often leverage government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) or enterprise license agreements to secure volume discounts. A thorough benchmark would involve analyzing contract awards for comparable tools from major software providers (e.g., Palantir, IBM, Microsoft Azure AI services) to assess if the SEC's per-unit cost or overall value proposition is competitive.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of this contract and the contractor's performance?

While the provided data does not explicitly list the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract, typical metrics for software subscription and analytics services would likely include: 1. Availability and Uptime: Ensuring the COTS tools are accessible and operational as per the Service Level Agreement (SLA), often measured as a percentage (e.g., 99.9% uptime). 2. Performance Metrics: The speed and efficiency of data processing, analysis, and report generation. This could be measured by query response times or the time taken to complete specific analytical tasks. 3. Data Accuracy and Integrity: Ensuring the data provided and analyzed by the tools is accurate and reliable. 4. User Satisfaction: Feedback from SEC personnel utilizing the tools, potentially measured through surveys or direct feedback channels. 5. Timely Delivery of Updates and Support: Ensuring software updates are deployed promptly and technical support is responsive and effective. The contract's firm-fixed-price nature implies that meeting these performance standards is crucial for the contractor to receive full payment.

What is SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC's track record with the federal government, particularly in providing similar intelligence and analytics solutions?

SLAM TECHNICAL SERVICES LLC has a track record with the federal government, as evidenced by this award. However, a deeper dive into their contract history is necessary to fully assess their capabilities in providing intelligence and analytics solutions. Publicly available data indicates they have received federal contracts, but the scale, scope, and specific services rendered under previous awards are critical. It would be important to examine if they have previously delivered similar COTS software subscriptions, managed complex analytics platforms, or supported advanced exam management systems for agencies like the SEC or other financial regulatory bodies. Assessing past performance evaluations, any past performance issues, and the types of agencies they have served would provide a clearer picture of their experience and reliability in this specific domain.

Are there any identified risks associated with relying on a single COTS solution for critical intelligence and analytics functions?

Yes, there are several risks associated with relying on a single Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) solution for critical intelligence and analytics functions. Firstly, there's the risk of vendor lock-in, where the SEC becomes heavily dependent on the specific vendor's technology, making it difficult and costly to switch providers in the future. This dependence can also limit the agency's flexibility to adopt newer, potentially superior technologies that emerge in the market. Secondly, the long-term viability and support of the COTS vendor itself can be a risk; if the vendor faces financial difficulties, is acquired, or discontinues the product line, the SEC could face significant disruption. Thirdly, security vulnerabilities within the COTS software could be exploited, posing a risk to sensitive data. Finally, the COTS solution might not perfectly align with all of the SEC's unique or evolving analytical needs, potentially leading to workarounds or unmet requirements.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - APLLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: ANALYTICAL TOOLS

Offers Received: 12

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 222 CATOCTIN CIR SE STE 128, LEESBURG, VA, 20175

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, HUBZone Firm, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, Indian (Subcontinent) American Owned Business, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,589,027

Exercised Options: $3,886,840

Current Obligation: $3,886,840

Actual Outlays: $3,886,840

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline