CPSC awards $3.6M for data collection on consumer product injuries, with limited competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $36,000 ($36.0K)

Contractor: Providence Health System-Southern California

Awarding Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission

Start Date: 2024-07-01

End Date: 2026-06-30

Contract Duration: 729 days

Daily Burn Rate: $49/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: DATA COLLECTION ON CONSUMER PRODUCT RELATED INJURIES.

Place of Performance

Location: TORRANCE, LOS ANGELES County, CALIFORNIA, 90503

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Consumer Product Safety Commission obligated $36,000 to PROVIDENCE HEALTH SYSTEM-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA for work described as: DATA COLLECTION ON CONSUMER PRODUCT RELATED INJURIES. Key points: 1. The contract's value of $3.6 million over two years appears reasonable for data collection and analysis services. 2. Limited competition for this contract may have impacted price discovery and potentially led to higher costs. 3. The firm-fixed-price contract type mitigates cost overrun risks for the government. 4. This award supports the CPSC's mission to prevent injuries and deaths from consumer products. 5. The contract is positioned within the IT and data services sector, supporting critical government functions.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The $3.6 million award for data collection services over two years is a significant investment. Benchmarking against similar contracts for data processing and analysis is challenging without more specific service details. However, the fixed-price nature of the award provides cost certainty. The value proposition hinges on the quality and comprehensiveness of the data collected and its subsequent use in injury prevention.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: limited

This contract was not competed under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), indicating it was likely procured through other limited sources. The specific reasons for limited competition are not detailed, but it suggests that fewer than the usual number of vendors were solicited or able to bid. This can reduce the pressure on pricing and potentially limit the range of innovative solutions considered.

Taxpayer Impact: Limited competition can mean taxpayers may not be getting the most cost-effective solution available in the market, as competitive pressures that drive down prices are reduced.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are consumers, who will be better protected through data-driven injury prevention strategies. The contract will deliver crucial data on consumer product-related injuries, informing CPSC's regulatory and educational efforts. The geographic impact is national, as data collected will inform policies affecting all U.S. consumers. Workforce implications are likely internal to CPSC, focusing on analysts and researchers utilizing the data.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of full and open competition may limit cost savings.
Potential for vendor lock-in due to limited initial competition.
Transparency regarding the justification for limited competition could be improved.

Positive Signals

Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost certainty.
Contract supports a critical public safety mission.
Clear period of performance (two years) allows for focused data collection.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the broader IT and data services sector, specifically focusing on data collection, processing, and analysis. The market for such services is large and competitive, with many firms offering solutions for data management and analytics. The CPSC's spending here is a niche application of these services for public safety purposes. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically be found in contracts for market research, data analytics platforms, or specialized data collection efforts.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication that this contract included a small business set-aside. The procurement method (not competed under SAP) and the nature of the services suggest it may have been awarded to a larger, established provider. Further analysis would be needed to determine if subcontracting opportunities exist for small businesses within the scope of this data collection effort.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight is likely managed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) program office responsible for injury data. Accountability measures would be tied to the delivery of accurate and timely data as per the contract's statement of work. Transparency is facilitated by the contract award notice, but further details on the justification for limited competition would enhance public understanding.

Related Government Programs

Consumer Product Safety Commission Data Analytics
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)
Public Health Data Collection Contracts
Government IT Services Contracts

Risk Flags

Limited competition may impact value for money.
Contractor's primary expertise is healthcare, not data services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Consumer Product Safety Commission awarded $36,000 to PROVIDENCE HEALTH SYSTEM-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. DATA COLLECTION ON CONSUMER PRODUCT RELATED INJURIES.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PROVIDENCE HEALTH SYSTEM-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $36,000.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-07-01. End: 2026-06-30.

What is the specific methodology for data collection under this contract?

The provided data does not specify the exact methodology for data collection. However, given the CPSC's mission, it likely involves gathering information from various sources such as hospital emergency room visits, consumer reports, and potentially other surveillance systems. The contract's focus on 'Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services' suggests that the contractor will be responsible for the technical infrastructure to support data ingestion, storage, processing, and potentially analysis. The effectiveness of the contract will depend on the robustness and representativeness of the chosen data collection methods in capturing a comprehensive picture of consumer product-related injuries.

How does the $3.6 million cost compare to similar data collection contracts for injury surveillance?

Benchmarking the $3.6 million cost requires a detailed comparison with contracts for similar data collection and analysis services, specifically within the public health or consumer safety domains. Without access to a database of comparable contracts, a precise comparison is difficult. However, for a two-year period, this amount suggests a substantial effort, potentially involving significant data sources, complex processing, or advanced analytical tools. Factors such as the number of data points collected, the geographic scope, the required analytical rigor, and the contractor's overhead will influence the cost. The limited competition aspect also means this price might not reflect the lowest possible market rate.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract?

Key performance indicators for this contract would likely focus on the quality, timeliness, and completeness of the data collected and delivered. Specific KPIs could include: data accuracy rates, adherence to reporting deadlines (e.g., weekly, monthly, quarterly reports), the volume of data successfully processed, the uptime and reliability of the data hosting infrastructure, and the successful integration of data from various sources. The CPSC would monitor these KPIs to ensure the contractor is meeting the contract's objectives and providing valuable insights for injury prevention efforts. Failure to meet these KPIs could result in contract remedies.

What is the track record of Providence Health System-Southern California in providing data services to the government?

Providence Health System-Southern California is primarily known as a healthcare provider. While healthcare systems often manage significant amounts of data and may have internal IT and data management capabilities, their direct experience as a primary contractor for government data collection and processing services, particularly in the consumer product safety domain, is not immediately apparent from their core identity. Further investigation into their specific contract history with federal agencies, especially for IT and data services, would be necessary to assess their track record in this specific area. It's possible they are partnering with a specialized data firm or leveraging their existing infrastructure.

What are the potential risks associated with limited competition for this data collection contract?

The primary risk associated with limited competition is the potential for inflated pricing, as the lack of a competitive bidding process reduces pressure on the contractor to offer the most cost-effective solution. This could mean taxpayers are paying more than necessary for the services rendered. Additionally, limited competition may restrict the range of innovative approaches or technologies that could be brought to bear on the data collection problem. It can also lead to a less robust selection of vendors, potentially impacting the quality or efficiency of the service if the chosen vendor is not the best fit, despite being one of the few available.

How will the data collected be used to inform CPSC's public safety initiatives?

The data collected under this contract is fundamental to the CPSC's mission of preventing injuries and deaths associated with consumer products. The data will be analyzed to identify trends, emerging hazards, and high-risk product categories. This information directly informs the CPSC's strategic decisions regarding product recalls, safety standards development, consumer education campaigns, and enforcement actions. For example, if the data reveals a surge in injuries related to a specific type of toy, the CPSC can use this evidence to investigate the product, issue warnings, or work with manufacturers to improve safety features.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: CPS-21131-24-0000

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4101 TORRANCE BLVD, TORRANCE, CA, 90503

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Hospital, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $90,000

Exercised Options: $36,000

Current Obligation: $36,000

Actual Outlays: $18,000

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline