EPA awards $2.3M environmental consulting contract to Aleut Services, LLC under full and open competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $2,296,063 ($2.3M)

Contractor: Aleut Services, LLC

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2021-08-02

End Date: 2026-08-01

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $1.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 2

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: MULTISITE TASK ORDER

Place of Performance

Location: CHICAGO, COOK County, ILLINOIS, 60604

State: Illinois Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $2.3 million to ALEUT SERVICES, LLC for work described as: MULTISITE TASK ORDER Key points: 1. Contract value appears moderate for environmental consulting services. 2. Competition was full and open, suggesting potential for competitive pricing. 3. Contract type is Time and Materials, which can pose cost control risks. 4. Performance period is 5 years, allowing for long-term project execution. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541620 indicates specialized environmental consulting. 6. The award was a delivery order under a larger contract vehicle.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of approximately $2.3 million over five years for environmental consulting services appears reasonable. Benchmarking against similar contracts is difficult without more specific service details, but the per-year average is around $460,000. The Time and Materials pricing structure, while common, warrants careful monitoring to ensure cost efficiency and prevent scope creep. The existence of two bidders suggests a degree of market interest and potential for competitive pricing.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under 'Full and Open Competition After Exclusion of Sources,' indicating that while the initial pool of potential sources may have been limited, the final competition was open to all eligible offerors. Two bids were received, which is a moderate level of competition. A higher number of bidders typically leads to more robust price discovery and potentially lower prices for the government.

Taxpayer Impact: The full and open competition, despite a limited number of bids, suggests that taxpayers likely received a fair price. However, more bidders could have potentially driven the price down further.

Public Impact

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary beneficiary, receiving environmental consulting services. Services likely include technical assistance, site assessments, regulatory compliance support, or remediation planning. The contract is geographically focused on Illinois (IL), indicating local or regional environmental support. The contract may support federal environmental initiatives and compliance efforts within the specified region. The contract could indirectly support the environmental services workforce through Aleut Services, LLC's operations.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials (T&M) contract type can lead to cost overruns if not closely managed.
Limited competition (2 bidders) may have reduced the potential for the lowest possible price.
The specific scope of work is not detailed, making it hard to assess true value for money.
The contract duration of 5 years requires ongoing performance monitoring.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, ensuring a broad base of potential offerors.
The contractor, Aleut Services, LLC, is likely experienced in environmental consulting.
The contract supports the critical mission of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The delivery order structure suggests it fits within a pre-established contract vehicle, potentially streamlining acquisition.

Sector Analysis

Environmental consulting is a specialized sector within professional services, focusing on environmental impact assessments, compliance, remediation, and sustainability. The market is driven by regulatory requirements, corporate social responsibility, and infrastructure development. This contract fits within the broader professional services market, specifically serving the needs of government agencies like the EPA. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend on the specific services rendered, but federal spending on environmental consulting is substantial, often tied to regulatory mandates and cleanup efforts.

Small Business Impact

Information regarding small business set-asides or subcontracting plans was not explicitly provided in the data. As the contract was awarded under full and open competition, it does not appear to have been specifically set aside for small businesses. Further investigation would be needed to determine if Aleut Services, LLC has any small business subcontracting obligations or if small businesses are involved in the supply chain for this contract.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures are typically embedded in the contract terms, including performance standards, reporting requirements, and payment schedules tied to deliverables. Transparency is facilitated through contract databases like FPDS-NG, which provide award details. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse is suspected.

Related Government Programs

Environmental Consulting Services
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Environmental Protection Agency Contracts
Delivery Orders
Time and Materials Contracts

Risk Flags

Time and Materials contract type requires close monitoring to control costs.
Limited number of bidders (2) may indicate reduced price competition.
Specific scope of work not detailed, hindering comprehensive value assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $2.3 million to ALEUT SERVICES, LLC. MULTISITE TASK ORDER

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ALEUT SERVICES, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $2.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2021-08-02. End: 2026-08-01.

What specific environmental consulting services are being provided under this contract?

The provided data indicates the NAICS code is 541620, which covers Environmental Consulting Services. However, the specific services are not detailed. These could range widely from environmental impact assessments, site investigations and remediation planning, regulatory compliance assistance, hazardous waste management consulting, air and water quality monitoring, to ecological restoration planning. The exact nature of the services would be defined in the Statement of Work (SOW) within the contract documentation, which is not available here. Understanding the precise services is crucial for evaluating the contract's value and performance.

How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar environmental consulting contracts awarded by the EPA or other federal agencies?

Direct price comparison is challenging without knowing the specific services, labor categories, and geographic location's cost of living. However, the total award of $2.3 million over five years averages to $460,000 annually. For Time and Materials contracts, the key metrics are the hourly rates for labor categories and the rates for materials. If these rates are benchmarked against industry standards and historical government data for similar skill sets (e.g., environmental scientists, engineers, geologists), an assessment of value can be made. The fact that two bids were received suggests some level of market competitiveness, but a deeper dive into the bid proposals would be necessary for a definitive pricing assessment.

What are the potential risks associated with the Time and Materials (T&M) contract type for this environmental consulting service?

The primary risk with T&M contracts is the potential for cost overruns, as the government pays for the actual time and materials used, plus a fixed fee or நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட markup. If the scope of work is not well-defined or if project management is weak, the contractor may incur more hours or use more resources than anticipated, leading to costs exceeding initial estimates. For environmental consulting, this could manifest as extended site investigations or unforeseen complexities requiring more labor hours. Robust oversight, clear task orders, and diligent monitoring of labor hours and material usage are essential to mitigate these risks.

What is the track record of Aleut Services, LLC in performing federal environmental consulting contracts?

The provided data does not include specific details on Aleut Services, LLC's past performance or track record. To assess this, one would typically look at past federal contract awards to the company, their performance evaluations (e.g., Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System - CPARS), and any history of contract disputes or terminations. A positive performance history with similar contracts would indicate a lower risk for this award. Conversely, a history of poor performance or unresolved issues would raise concerns about the agency's selection process and the potential for successful project completion.

How does the $2.3 million contract value compare to the EPA's overall spending on environmental consulting services?

Without access to the EPA's comprehensive budget and spending data for environmental consulting, it's difficult to place this $2.3 million contract in a broader context. However, the EPA manages numerous contracts across various environmental programs, including Superfund, water quality, air pollution control, and research. This single contract represents a portion of that spending. To provide a comparative benchmark, one would need to analyze the EPA's historical spending on NAICS code 541620 or similar service categories over several fiscal years to understand if this award is typical, large, or small relative to their overall contracting portfolio.

What are the implications of this contract being a delivery order under a larger contract vehicle?

A delivery order (or task order) is issued against a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) or other contract vehicle. This implies that the initial competition likely occurred when the parent contract vehicle was awarded. The current award is for a specific task or set of tasks under that umbrella. This can streamline the acquisition process for subsequent needs, as much of the vetting and basic terms are already established. However, it also means the competition for this specific delivery order might have been limited, depending on the terms of the parent contract, potentially impacting price discovery for this particular task.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Environmental Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › NATURAL RESOURCES - OTHER SVCS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 68HE0521R0062

Offers Received: 2

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 2609 N RIVER RD, PORT ALLEN, LA, 70767

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, DoT Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $2,978,429

Exercised Options: $2,978,429

Current Obligation: $2,296,063

Actual Outlays: $2,238,257

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: PRODUCTS OR SERVICES PURSUANT TO FAR 12.102(F)

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HE0421D0003

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline