DHS awards $103M contract for records operations support to Konag Brilient, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $102,967,923 ($103.0M)

Contractor: Koniag Brillient, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2021-10-01

End Date: 2026-09-30

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $56.4K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 7

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: RECORDS OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES (ROSS)

Place of Performance

Location: LEES SUMMIT, JACKSON County, MISSOURI, 64064

State: Missouri Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $103.0 million to KONIAG BRILLIENT, LLC for work described as: RECORDS OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES (ROSS) Key points: 1. Contract awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. The contract duration of 5 years indicates a long-term need for these services. 3. The firm-fixed-price contract type shifts cost risk to the contractor. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 561110 points to administrative services. 5. The award amount of over $100 million signifies a substantial investment in records operations. 6. The contract is not set aside for small businesses, indicating a focus on larger prime contractors.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $102,967,922.56 over five years averages to approximately $20.6 million annually. Benchmarking this against similar records operations support contracts is challenging without more specific service details. However, the scale of the award suggests a significant operational requirement. The firm-fixed-price structure is generally favorable for the government when scope is well-defined, but it can lead to higher initial bids to account for contractor risk.

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,' which is a specific type of full and open competition. While it implies a competitive process, the 'exclusion of sources' aspect warrants further investigation to understand if specific types of contractors were intentionally excluded. Seven bids were received, indicating a reasonable level of competition for this requirement.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive process, even with exclusions, generally benefits taxpayers by encouraging multiple vendors to offer their best pricing and service terms to secure the contract.

Public Impact

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the primary beneficiary, receiving essential records operations support. The services delivered are crucial for the efficient management and accessibility of immigration records. The contract is managed by USCIS, a component of the Department of Homeland Security. The workforce implications are likely to involve the contractor's employees performing administrative and operational tasks related to records management.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

The 'exclusion of sources' clause in the competition type requires clarification to ensure no undue restrictions were placed on potential bidders.
Lack of specific performance metrics or service level agreements in the provided data makes it difficult to assess the contractor's performance potential.
The substantial contract value could indicate a critical dependency on the contractor, posing a risk if performance issues arise.

Positive Signals

The award was made after a competitive process with seven bidders, suggesting a robust market response.
The firm-fixed-price contract type aligns with government objectives to control costs by transferring risk to the contractor.
The long contract duration (5 years) indicates a stable, ongoing need for these services, providing continuity for USCIS operations.

Sector Analysis

The records operations support services fall under the administrative and support services sector. This sector is broad, encompassing a wide range of business support activities. For government contracts, it often relates to document management, data processing, and general office administration. The market size for such services is substantial, with numerous private sector companies offering specialized solutions. This contract fits within the government's ongoing need for efficient and secure management of vast amounts of data and records.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not set aside for small businesses, as indicated by 'sb': false. This means the competition was open to all eligible contractors, including large businesses. There is no explicit information on subcontracting plans for small businesses. The absence of a small business set-aside suggests that the prime contractor, Konlag Brilient, LLC, is likely a larger entity capable of handling the full scope of work, and subcontracting opportunities for small businesses would depend on their specific business model and the terms negotiated.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) contracting officers and program managers. Transparency is facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS. Accountability measures are typically embedded within the contract's performance work statement, including service level agreements and reporting requirements. The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) would have jurisdiction to investigate any potential fraud, waste, or abuse related to this contract.

Related Government Programs

Federal Records Management Services
Administrative Support Contracts
Department of Homeland Security IT and Support Services
USCIS Operations Support

Risk Flags

Competition Method Ambiguity
Lack of Detailed Performance Metrics
Potential for Scope Creep

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $103.0 million to KONIAG BRILLIENT, LLC. RECORDS OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES (ROSS)

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is KONIAG BRILLIENT, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $103.0 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2021-10-01. End: 2026-09-30.

What is the specific nature of the 'records operations support services' being provided under this contract?

The provided data indicates the contract is for 'RECORDS OPERATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES (ROSS)' and falls under NAICS code 561110 (Office Administrative Services). While the specific details of the services are not fully elaborated in the summary data, this typically encompasses a range of activities such as document scanning, indexing, storage, retrieval, disposition, and overall records lifecycle management. For USCIS, this likely involves managing vast quantities of immigration-related documentation, ensuring their integrity, accessibility, and compliance with retention policies. The services are critical for the agency's operational efficiency and legal obligations.

How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar records operations support contracts awarded by federal agencies?

Directly comparing the pricing of this $103 million, 5-year contract without detailed service level agreements and specific deliverables is difficult. However, the average annual value of approximately $20.6 million suggests a significant scale of operations. To benchmark effectively, one would need to analyze contracts with similar scope, complexity, and duration for records management and administrative support services across agencies like the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or other large components of DHS. Factors such as the volume of records managed, digitization requirements, security protocols, and geographic distribution of services would heavily influence price comparisons.

What are the potential risks associated with a 5-year firm-fixed-price contract for records operations support?

A primary risk with a 5-year firm-fixed-price contract is scope creep or unforeseen changes in requirements that are not adequately addressed by contract modifications. If the government's needs evolve significantly beyond the initial scope, the fixed price may become disadvantageous, leading to potential disputes or the need for costly change orders. Conversely, if the contractor underestimates the effort or faces unexpected cost increases (e.g., labor, technology), they bear the loss, which could impact service quality or contractor viability. Ensuring a well-defined Performance Work Statement (PWS) at the outset is crucial to mitigate these risks.

What is the track record of Konlag Brilient, LLC in performing similar government contracts?

Information on Konlag Brilient, LLC's specific track record for performing similar large-scale records operations support services is not detailed in the provided summary data. A thorough assessment would require reviewing their past performance evaluations on federal contracts, including any past performance questionnaires (PPQs) submitted during the bidding process, and checking databases like the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). Understanding their history with firm-fixed-price contracts, adherence to schedules, quality of service, and overall client satisfaction would be key indicators of their capability to successfully execute this DHS contract.

How does the 'Full and Open Competition After Exclusion of Sources' procurement method impact potential competition and pricing?

The 'Full and Open Competition After Exclusion of Sources' method implies that while the competition was open to all eligible sources, certain categories or types of sources were intentionally excluded from consideration. The specific reasons for exclusion are not provided but could relate to national security, specific technological requirements, or past performance issues with certain vendor types. This exclusion, if significant, could potentially limit the number of bidders and, consequently, the intensity of competition. Reduced competition can sometimes lead to less favorable pricing for the government compared to unrestricted full and open competition, although the presence of seven bidders suggests a reasonable level of market interest despite the exclusion.

What are the implications of this contract not being a small business set-aside?

The fact that this contract is not a small business set-aside means that the competition was open to both large and small businesses, but the primary award went to a contractor that was not specifically designated as a small business for this procurement. This is common for contracts requiring significant resources, extensive experience, or a large workforce. It implies that large businesses were expected to compete and likely won based on their overall capabilities and pricing. While it doesn't preclude subcontracting to small businesses, it means the primary focus was not on reserving the work for them, potentially limiting direct opportunities for small business prime contractors on this specific award.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Office Administrative Services › Office Administrative Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: 70SBUR20R00000005

Offers Received: 7

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4100 LAFAYETTE CENTER DR STE 303, CHANTILLY, VA, 20151

Business Categories: Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, SBA Certified 8 a Joint Venture, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $108,474,184

Exercised Options: $102,967,923

Current Obligation: $102,967,923

Actual Outlays: $61,887,318

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline