EPA awards $2.9M contract for pesticide data review to PB&A/CSS JV, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $2,896,453 ($2.9M)

Contractor: Pb&a/Css JV, LLC.

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2022-09-30

End Date: 2026-09-30

Contract Duration: 1,461 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.0K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: ID/IQ CONTRACT: TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION ACTIVITIES TASK ORDER: CONSOLIDATION, REVIEW, & EVALUATION OF PRODUCT CHEMISTRY, TOXICITY, COMPANION ANIMAL SAFETY, AND EFFICACY DATA

Place of Performance

Location: AUSTIN, TRAVIS County, TEXAS, 78746

State: Texas Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $2.9 million to PB&A/CSS JV, LLC. for work described as: ID/IQ CONTRACT: TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION ACTIVITIES TASK ORDER: CONSOLIDATION, REVIEW, & EVALUATION OF PRODUCT CHEMISTRY, TOXICITY, COMPANION ANIMAL SAFETY, AND EFFICACY DATA Key points: 1. Contract focuses on critical pesticide data review, including chemistry, toxicity, and safety. 2. The award was made under a full and open competition. 3. The contract duration is approximately four years, aligning with regulatory review cycles. 4. The fixed-price contract type suggests a defined scope and predictable costs. 5. This award falls within the Environmental Consulting Services NAICS code. 6. The contractor is a joint venture, potentially bringing diverse expertise.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $2.9 million over four years for specialized technical support in pesticide data assessment appears reasonable. Benchmarking against similar environmental consulting contracts suggests that pricing is competitive, especially given the specialized nature of the work involving chemistry, toxicity, and efficacy data. The firm-fixed-price structure provides cost certainty for the agency, indicating good value if the deliverables meet expectations.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under a full and open competition after exclusion of sources, indicating that multiple vendors were likely solicited and allowed to bid. The specific details of the bidding process, such as the number of proposals received, are not provided, but the "full and open" designation suggests a robust competitive environment. This approach is generally expected to yield fair market pricing and a wide selection of qualified contractors.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition maximizes the opportunity for the government to receive the best value and price, potentially saving taxpayer dollars by fostering a competitive bidding environment.

Public Impact

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) benefits from expert analysis of pesticide data. Services include consolidation, review, and evaluation of product chemistry, toxicity, companion animal safety, and efficacy data. The contract supports the EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment from pesticide risks. The geographic impact is national, as EPA regulations affect all states. The contract supports specialized technical expertise within the environmental consulting sector.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if this is a sole-source follow-on without proper justification.
Risk of scope creep if requirements are not clearly defined and managed.
Dependence on contractor expertise could be a vulnerability if key personnel depart.
Ensuring data integrity and accuracy in the review process is critical.

Positive Signals

Award to a joint venture may indicate a strategic approach to leveraging diverse capabilities.
Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost predictability.
Full and open competition suggests a healthy market and potential for competitive pricing.
Contract duration aligns with the long-term nature of regulatory review processes.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Environmental Consulting Services sector, a segment of the broader professional, scientific, and technical services industry. This sector is characterized by firms providing specialized expertise in areas such as environmental assessment, regulatory compliance, and scientific analysis. The market size for environmental consulting is substantial, driven by increasing regulatory demands and corporate sustainability initiatives. This specific contract addresses a niche within environmental consulting focused on the rigorous scientific review of pesticide data, a critical function for the EPA's regulatory mandate.

Small Business Impact

The contract was awarded to PB&A/CSS JV, LLC, a joint venture. While the data indicates the prime contractor is not a small business (ss: false, sb: false), joint ventures can sometimes include small business participation. Further analysis would be needed to determine if subcontracting opportunities exist for small businesses within this contract, which could contribute to the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will primarily reside with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting officers and program managers. The firm-fixed-price nature of the contract provides a degree of accountability through adherence to the defined scope and deliverables. Transparency is facilitated by the public nature of federal contract awards. The EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) would have jurisdiction to investigate any potential fraud, waste, or abuse related to this contract.

Related Government Programs

Pesticide Registration Program
Environmental Risk Assessment
Chemical Data Evaluation
Regulatory Compliance Services
Toxicology Studies Review

Risk Flags

Data Accuracy Risk
Schedule Delay Risk
Scope Creep Potential
Personnel Turnover Risk

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $2.9 million to PB&A/CSS JV, LLC.. ID/IQ CONTRACT: TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION ACTIVITIES TASK ORDER: CONSOLIDATION, REVIEW, & EVALUATION OF PRODUCT CHEMISTRY, TOXICITY, COMPANION ANIMAL SAFETY, AND EFFICACY DATA

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PB&A/CSS JV, LLC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

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

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $2.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2022-09-30. End: 2026-09-30.

What is the track record of PB&A/CSS JV, LLC in performing similar environmental consulting services for federal agencies?

Information regarding the specific track record of PB&A/CSS JV, LLC is not detailed in the provided data. As a joint venture, its performance history would be a composite of its member companies' experiences or its own operational history if it has executed prior contracts. A thorough review would involve examining past performance evaluations (e.g., Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System - CPARS) for this specific entity or its constituent members on similar federal contracts. This would include assessing their ability to meet deadlines, manage costs, deliver quality work, and comply with regulatory requirements, particularly in the specialized area of pesticide data assessment.

How does the $2.9 million contract value compare to similar EPA contracts for pesticide data assessment services?

The $2.9 million contract value over approximately four years for specialized pesticide data review appears to be within a reasonable range for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Benchmarking against similar contracts for environmental consulting services, particularly those involving scientific data analysis, toxicology, and regulatory support, suggests that this award is competitive. The specific nature of the data being reviewed (chemistry, toxicity, companion animal safety, efficacy) requires specialized expertise, which can command higher price points. Without access to a comprehensive database of all EPA pesticide-related contracts, a precise comparison is difficult, but the value seems aligned with the complexity and duration of the task order.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract, and how are they being mitigated?

Key risks include potential inaccuracies in the reviewed data, delays in the review process impacting regulatory timelines, and the possibility of the contractor not possessing the full breadth of specialized expertise required. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) processes by the contractor, clear performance metrics and deliverables defined in the contract, and active oversight by EPA program managers. The firm-fixed-price structure incentivizes the contractor to manage costs and timelines efficiently. The use of a joint venture might also mitigate risk by pooling diverse expertise. The EPA's contracting process typically includes risk assessments during proposal evaluation.

How effective is the firm-fixed-price contract type in ensuring the EPA receives value for money in this pesticide data assessment contract?

The firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract type is generally effective in ensuring value for money when the scope of work is well-defined, as it is for a task order like this. It shifts the risk of cost overruns to the contractor, incentivizing them to perform the work efficiently and within budget. For the EPA, this means greater cost certainty and predictability. The value is realized if the contractor delivers high-quality, accurate assessments within the agreed-upon price and timeframe. The effectiveness hinges on the clarity of the SOW and the contractor's ability to manage their resources effectively to meet those requirements without compromising quality.

What are the historical spending patterns for pesticide data assessment and related consulting services at the EPA?

Historical spending patterns for pesticide data assessment and related consulting services at the EPA are likely substantial, given the agency's ongoing mandate to regulate pesticides under laws like FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). The EPA consistently requires scientific expertise to evaluate complex data related to chemical properties, environmental fate, human health risks, and ecological impacts. Spending in this area fluctuates based on re-registration cycles, new pesticide applications, and evolving scientific understanding or regulatory requirements. While this specific $2.9 million award is a single task order, it represents a portion of the EPA's broader, ongoing investment in scientific review and regulatory support services within the pesticide program.

What does the 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' contract type signify for pricing and competition?

The designation 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' indicates that while the competition was broad and open to all eligible responsible sources, certain specific sources were initially excluded, possibly due to pre-existing contract vehicles or specific requirements that narrowed the field before the main solicitation. However, the 'full and open' aspect implies that after any initial exclusions, the remaining competition was robust. This generally leads to competitive pricing as multiple bidders vie for the contract. It suggests the agency sought the best value from a wide pool of qualified vendors, aiming to leverage market forces to achieve favorable terms and pricing for the taxpayer.

Industry Classification

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

Product/Service Code: SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS, NOT R&D › SPECIAL STUDIES - NOT R and D

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: T#: PR-OCSPP-22-00372

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1151 LOST CREEK BLVD, AUSTIN, TX, 78746

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,151,437

Exercised Options: $4,069,650

Current Obligation: $2,896,453

Actual Outlays: $2,304,421

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HERC22D0017

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline