EPA awards $4.8M for storage tanks, with research institute to provide consulting services

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $480,767 ($480.8K)

Contractor: Research Triangle Institute

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2022-06-01

End Date: 2024-11-30

Contract Duration: 913 days

Daily Burn Rate: $527/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: PURPOSE: NEW TASK ORDER PROJECT TITLE: STORAGE TANKS MODEL

Place of Performance

Location: DURHAM, DURHAM County, NORTH CAROLINA, 27711

State: North Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $480,766.91 to RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE for work described as: PURPOSE: NEW TASK ORDER PROJECT TITLE: STORAGE TANKS MODEL Key points: 1. Contract awarded to a single entity for administrative management and general management consulting services. 2. The contract type is Time and Materials, which can pose cost control challenges. 3. The duration of the contract is over 900 days, indicating a significant project scope. 4. The award falls under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call, suggesting pre-negotiated terms. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541611 points to management consulting. 6. The contract is not set aside for small businesses, nor does it appear to have specific subcontracting goals.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $4.8 million for administrative management and general management consulting services appears reasonable given the project's duration of over 900 days. However, the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure warrants careful monitoring to ensure costs do not escalate beyond initial estimates. Benchmarking against similar consulting contracts for environmental projects would provide a clearer picture of value for money, but without more specific service details, a definitive assessment is challenging.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the 'full and open' designation suggests a competitive process. This approach is generally favorable for price discovery and ensuring the government receives competitive offers.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive bidding process that aims to secure the best possible price and quality for the services rendered.

Public Impact

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary beneficiary, receiving consulting services for storage tank management. The services delivered are related to administrative and general management consulting. The contract is geographically located in North Carolina. The contract supports the administrative and consulting sector workforce.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials contract type can lead to cost overruns if not closely managed.
Lack of specific details on the scope of 'storage tanks' project makes it difficult to assess true value.
The BPA Call mechanism, while efficient, might limit the scope for fresh competitive pricing on this specific task order.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a robust bidding process.
The contractor, Research Triangle Institute, is a known entity in research and consulting.
The contract duration indicates a significant and potentially impactful project for the EPA.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically management consulting. The market for such services is vast, with numerous firms capable of providing expertise to government agencies. The EPA's need for administrative and management consulting related to environmental infrastructure like storage tanks is a common requirement within the agency's mission.

Small Business Impact

The contract was not set aside for small businesses, and there is no indication of specific small business subcontracting requirements. This means that opportunities for small businesses to participate in this contract are likely limited to those that might be subcontracted by the prime contractor, Research Triangle Institute, on a voluntary basis.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the contracting officer and program officials within the Environmental Protection Agency. The Time and Materials nature of the contract necessitates diligent monitoring of labor hours and costs to ensure compliance with the contract terms and prevent overspending. Transparency is facilitated through contract award databases, but detailed performance reports are often internal.

Related Government Programs

Environmental Protection Agency Contracts
Management and Consulting Services
Blanket Purchase Agreements
Task Orders

Risk Flags

Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials contract type.
Lack of specific project details hinders full value assessment.
Competition level for this specific task order within the BPA is not fully detailed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $480,766.91 to RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE. PURPOSE: NEW TASK ORDER PROJECT TITLE: STORAGE TANKS MODEL

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE.

Which agency awarded this contract?

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

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $480,766.91.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2022-06-01. End: 2024-11-30.

What is the specific nature of the 'storage tanks' project that requires administrative and general management consulting services?

The provided data indicates the purpose as 'NEW TASK ORDER PROJECT TITLE: STORAGE TANKS MODEL' and the NAICS code is 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services). However, the specific details of the 'storage tanks' project are not elaborated. It could range from managing the lifecycle of EPA-owned storage tanks, consulting on regulatory compliance for storage tanks, or developing models for storage tank maintenance and safety. Without further information, the exact scope and deliverables remain unclear, making it difficult to fully assess the necessity and effectiveness of the consulting services.

How does the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure compare to other contract types for similar consulting services?

Time and Materials (T&M) contracts are often used when the scope of work is not clearly defined or is expected to change. They reimburse the contractor for direct labor hours at specified hourly rates and for the actual cost of materials. While flexible, T&M contracts carry a higher risk of cost overruns for the government compared to fixed-price contracts, as the final cost is not predetermined. For well-defined consulting projects, fixed-price or cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts are generally preferred for better cost control. The EPA's choice of T&M suggests either a highly evolving scope or a reliance on the contractor's expertise to define project parameters as it progresses.

What is the track record of Research Triangle Institute (RTI) in performing similar government contracts?

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) is a well-established non-profit research institute with extensive experience in government contracting, particularly with agencies like the EPA. RTI has a history of performing a wide range of services, including environmental consulting, data analysis, and program management. While specific performance details for this particular task order are not publicly available, RTI's general reputation and long-standing presence in the federal contracting space suggest a capable contractor. A deeper dive into their past performance ratings on similar EPA contracts would provide more specific insights into their reliability and effectiveness.

What are the potential risks associated with a $4.8 million contract awarded under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call?

A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is a simplified acquisition method that allows federal agencies to fill anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services. A BPA Call is a specific order placed against an existing BPA. While BPAs can streamline procurement, a BPA Call for a significant amount like $4.8 million, especially under a Time and Materials structure, carries risks. These include potential for scope creep if the underlying BPA terms are not sufficiently detailed, and the possibility that the pre-negotiated rates within the BPA may not represent the absolute best value achievable through a new, full-and-open competition specifically for this task order. Effective oversight is crucial to mitigate these risks.

How does the spending on administrative management and general management consulting services by the EPA compare to other federal agencies?

The EPA, like many large federal agencies, utilizes management and general management consulting services to support its complex mission. Spending in this category (NAICS 541611) is common across government. Agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration often have substantial budgets allocated to consulting services for program management, strategic planning, and operational efficiency. A comparative analysis would require examining the total spending on NAICS 541611 across all federal agencies and then benchmarking the EPA's expenditure relative to its size, budget, and mission complexity. This specific $4.8 million award represents a fraction of the total federal spending on such services.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS PROTECTION

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: RFQ-PR-OAR-22-00685

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 3040 CORNWALLIS RD, DURHAM, NC, 27709

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $480,767

Exercised Options: $480,767

Current Obligation: $480,767

Actual Outlays: $480,775

Contract Characteristics

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HERD20A0004

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline