EPA awards $9M task order to Datawiz Corp for OCSPP solution development and enhancement

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $9,030,719 ($9.0M)

Contractor: Datawiz Corporation

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2023-06-08

End Date: 2026-06-07

Contract Duration: 1,095 days

Daily Burn Rate: $8.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS

Sector: IT

Official Description: OCSPP'S SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT TASK ORDER

Place of Performance

Location: MCLEAN, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22102

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $9.0 million to DATAWIZ CORPORATION for work described as: OCSPP'S SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT TASK ORDER Key points: 1. Contract focuses on IT services for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. 2. Task order awarded under a broader BPA Call, suggesting pre-negotiated terms. 3. Performance period spans three years, indicating a medium-term project. 4. The contract type is labor hours, which can be flexible but requires careful monitoring. 5. Awarded via full and open competition, implying a competitive bidding process. 6. The base award amount is substantial, requiring robust performance metrics. 7. Contractor Datawiz Corporation is relatively new to federal contracting based on available data.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The award amount of $9.03 million for a three-year task order for IT solution development and enhancement appears within a reasonable range for similar federal IT services. However, without specific details on the deliverables and the labor categories involved, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging. Benchmarking against other IT support contracts for the EPA or similar agencies would provide further context. The labor hours contract type necessitates close oversight to ensure efficient resource utilization and prevent cost overruns.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This task order was awarded under a full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the use of full and open competition generally suggests a healthy level of market interest and potential for competitive pricing. This approach aims to ensure the government receives the best value by considering a wide range of qualified contractors.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition is favorable for taxpayers as it maximizes the chances of obtaining competitive pricing and innovative solutions, potentially leading to cost savings and improved service delivery.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiary is the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), which will receive enhanced IT solutions. Services delivered include the development and enhancement of IT solutions, likely supporting OCSPP's mission. The geographic impact is primarily within the EPA's operational sphere, likely supporting national-level environmental protection efforts. Workforce implications may include the need for specialized IT personnel by Datawiz Corporation to fulfill the contract requirements.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep in labor hours contracts if not managed tightly.
Ensuring Datawiz Corporation has the necessary security clearances and experience for sensitive EPA data.
Monitoring contractor performance to ensure deliverables meet EPA's evolving IT needs.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive process.
Three-year performance period allows for sustained support and development.
Task order is part of a larger BPA Call, potentially indicating streamlined acquisition and established vendor relationships.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Information Technology (IT) sector, specifically focusing on IT services and solutions development. The federal IT services market is vast and highly competitive, with agencies constantly seeking to modernize systems and enhance data management capabilities. Comparable spending benchmarks for IT support and development task orders can vary significantly based on complexity, duration, and specific technologies employed. The NAICS code 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) covers a broad range of IT services.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there are no direct subcontracting implications for small businesses arising from a small business set-aside. The primary contractor, Datawiz Corporation, is not identified as a small business in the provided data. Analysis of subcontracting opportunities would require further investigation into the prime contractor's subcontracting plan, if applicable.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this task order will likely be managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting officers and program managers. The contract's performance will be monitored against the established Statement of Work (SOW) and delivery schedules. Transparency is facilitated through federal contract databases like FPDS.gov, where award details are publicly available. The EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) may conduct audits or investigations if performance issues or potential fraud are identified.

Related Government Programs

EPA IT Support Services
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Programs
IT Solution Development Contracts
BPA Call Task Orders

Risk Flags

Labor Hours Contract Type Risk
Potential for Scope Creep
Contractor Performance Monitoring Needed
Limited Publicly Available Contractor History

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $9.0 million to DATAWIZ CORPORATION. OCSPP'S SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT TASK ORDER

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is DATAWIZ CORPORATION.

Which agency awarded this contract?

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

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $9.0 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-06-08. End: 2026-06-07.

What is the track record of Datawiz Corporation with the federal government, particularly with the EPA?

Based on the provided data, Datawiz Corporation is the prime contractor for this $9.03 million task order. Further investigation into federal procurement databases (e.g., FPDS, SAM.gov) would be necessary to determine the extent of their federal contracting history. Information regarding past performance, previous awards, and any reported issues would provide a clearer picture of their track record. Without this additional data, it is difficult to assess their established performance with the government or specifically with the EPA.

How does the $9.03 million award compare to similar IT solution development task orders at the EPA?

The $9.03 million award for a three-year task order for IT solution development and enhancement is a significant investment. To benchmark its value, one would compare it to other IT support and development contracts awarded by the EPA or similar environmental/regulatory agencies over the past few years. Factors such as the scope of work, complexity of the IT solutions, labor categories, and contract duration are crucial for a meaningful comparison. A higher number of bidders in a full and open competition could indicate competitive pricing, but the actual value depends on the quality and efficiency of the services delivered.

What are the primary risks associated with a labor hours contract for IT development?

Labor hours contracts, like the one awarded to Datawiz Corporation, carry inherent risks primarily related to cost control and scope management. The main risk is that the contractor may not work as efficiently as possible, leading to higher costs than anticipated if the hours required exceed initial estimates. There's also a risk of scope creep, where the project's objectives expand beyond the original intent without a corresponding adjustment in funding or oversight. For the government, effective oversight is critical to ensure that the labor hours are necessary, reasonable, and directly contribute to the contract's objectives. Without strict monitoring, these contracts can become more expensive than fixed-price alternatives.

What specific IT solutions or enhancements are being developed or improved under this task order?

The provided data identifies the task order as 'OCSPP'S SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT TASK ORDER.' This suggests the work is focused on improving or creating IT systems and applications used by the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). Specific details regarding the nature of these solutions—whether they involve data management, regulatory compliance tools, public-facing portals, or internal operational systems—are not included in the summary data. A thorough review of the Statement of Work (SOW) for this task order would be required to understand the precise technical deliverables and functional objectives.

What is the historical spending trend for IT services within the EPA's OCSPP?

Analyzing historical spending for IT services within the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) would require accessing and aggregating data from federal procurement records over several fiscal years. This would involve identifying all contracts awarded to OCSPP for IT support, development, and related services, noting their values, durations, and contract types. Such an analysis could reveal trends in IT investment, identify key contractors, and provide context for the current $9.03 million task order. Without access to this historical data, it's impossible to determine if this award represents an increase, decrease, or stable level of spending for OCSPP's IT needs.

Industry Classification

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

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - IT MANAGEMENT

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS (Z)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 14200 PARK MEADOW DR STE 250N, CHANTILLY, VA, 20151

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Indian (Subcontinent) American Owned Business, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $29,460,118

Exercised Options: $29,460,118

Current Obligation: $9,030,719

Actual Outlays: $8,980,494

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HERD22A0006

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline