Department of Education awards $17.8M for technical assistance to state education agencies
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $17,834,268 ($17.8M)
Contractor: Synergy Enterprises, Inc
Awarding Agency: Department of Education
Start Date: 2018-09-27
End Date: 2022-09-26
Contract Duration: 1,460 days
Daily Burn Rate: $12.2K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO ACQUIRE A NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO ASSIST LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TITLE IV, PART A.
Place of Performance
Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20202
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Education obligated $17.8 million to SYNERGY ENTERPRISES, INC for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO ACQUIRE A NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO ASSIST LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF … Key points: 1. Contract provides crucial support for implementing Title IV, Part A programs. 2. Synergy Enterprises, Inc. secured the contract through full and open competition. 3. The contract duration of 1460 days (4 years) suggests a long-term need for these services. 4. Fixed-price contract type helps manage cost certainty for the government. 5. The administrative management and general management consulting services are essential for capacity building at state and local levels. 6. The contract's value is moderate within the context of federal education spending.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of approximately $17.8 million over four years averages to about $4.45 million annually. This appears reasonable for a national technical assistance center aimed at supporting state education agencies. Benchmarking against similar contracts for large-scale technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment, but the scope suggests a significant undertaking. The firm fixed-price structure provides cost predictability.
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. With 3 bidders, the competition level suggests a healthy market interest for these services. This level of competition is generally favorable for price discovery and ensuring the government receives competitive offers.
Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition with multiple bidders typically leads to better pricing for taxpayers by fostering a competitive environment.
Public Impact
State education agencies are the primary beneficiaries, receiving enhanced capacity to support local education agencies. Local education agencies will benefit indirectly through improved support and resources for implementing Title IV, Part A programs. The services delivered aim to increase educational opportunities and support for students nationwide. The geographic impact is national, covering all state education agencies. Workforce implications include the potential for enhanced professional development and support for educators at state and local levels.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for vendor lock-in if follow-on contracts are not competitively procured.
- Ensuring consistent quality of technical assistance across all state agencies may be challenging.
- Measuring the direct impact of technical assistance on student outcomes requires robust evaluation metrics.
Positive Signals
- Contract supports a critical federal education initiative (Title IV, Part A).
- Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive process.
- Firm fixed-price contract provides cost certainty.
- Long-term duration (4 years) indicates a sustained commitment to supporting education agencies.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the professional services sector, specifically management consulting. The market for federal technical assistance and program support is substantial, with agencies frequently outsourcing specialized expertise. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large-scale technical assistance contracts awarded by the Department of Education or other federal agencies to support program implementation and capacity building.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates that small business participation was not a specific set-aside for this contract (ss: false, sb: false). While Synergy Enterprises, Inc. is the prime contractor, the extent of small business subcontracting is not detailed here. Future analysis could explore subcontracting plans to assess the impact on the small business ecosystem.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight would typically be managed by the contracting officer and program officials within the Department of Education. Accountability measures would be tied to performance metrics and deliverables outlined in the contract. Transparency is facilitated through contract databases like FPDS. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected.
Related Government Programs
- Title IV, Part A - Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
- Federal Education Program Support
- State Education Agency Capacity Building
- Technical Assistance Contracts
Risk Flags
- Potential for performance issues if contractor lacks deep understanding of specific Title IV, Part A nuances.
- Risk of inconsistent service delivery across diverse state education agency needs.
- Measuring the direct impact on student outcomes from technical assistance can be challenging.
Tags
education, department-of-education, technical-assistance, consulting-services, full-and-open-competition, firm-fixed-price, national, state-agencies, capacity-building, title-iv-part-a, synergy-enterprises-inc
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Education awarded $17.8 million to SYNERGY ENTERPRISES, INC. IGF::OT::IGF THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO ACQUIRE A NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO ASSIST LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TITLE IV, PART A.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is SYNERGY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Education (Department of Education).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $17.8 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2018-09-27. End: 2022-09-26.
What is the track record of Synergy Enterprises, Inc. in delivering similar technical assistance contracts for federal agencies?
Synergy Enterprises, Inc. has a history of providing management and consulting services. To assess their track record for this specific type of contract, a deeper dive into their past performance on federal contracts, particularly those involving technical assistance, training, and support to state or local education agencies, would be necessary. Reviewing past performance evaluations, contract awards, and any debriefings from previous solicitations would provide insight into their capabilities, reliability, and client satisfaction. Understanding their experience with educational programs and federal grant implementation is crucial for evaluating their suitability for this task order.
How does the awarded amount compare to the estimated value or budget for this technical assistance center?
The awarded amount of $17,834,268.35 represents the total value of the contract over its four-year period. Without access to the original solicitation's estimated cost or budget, it's challenging to definitively state how it compares. However, the fact that it was awarded under full and open competition with three bidders suggests that the awarded price was considered competitive. If the awarded amount is significantly lower than initial estimates, it could indicate strong competition or efficient pricing by the contractor. Conversely, if it aligns closely with estimates, it suggests the initial budgeting was accurate for the scope of work.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of this technical assistance contract?
The success of this technical assistance contract would likely be measured through a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) defined in the contract's Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS). These KPIs would focus on the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of the technical assistance, training, and support provided to State Education Agencies (SEAs). Examples could include the number of SEAs receiving assistance, the satisfaction ratings from SEAs, the successful implementation of training modules, the development and dissemination of high-quality resources, and ultimately, the increased capacity of SEAs to support Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in implementing Title IV, Part A. The contract's effectiveness would be evaluated against these predefined metrics.
What is the historical spending trend for similar technical assistance services provided by the Department of Education?
Analyzing historical spending trends for similar technical assistance services by the Department of Education would provide context for the $17.8 million award. This would involve examining past contract awards for national technical assistance centers, program support services, and capacity-building initiatives within the education sector. Looking at the total annual spending on such services over the past 5-10 years can reveal patterns in demand, average contract values, and the types of contractors that have been successful. This historical data helps in assessing whether the current award is an outlier, a continuation of a trend, or a significant increase/decrease in investment for these types of services.
What specific components of Title IV, Part A are prioritized for technical assistance under this contract?
The contract's purpose is to acquire a national technical assistance center to deliver high-quality technical assistance, training, and support to State Education Agencies (SEAs) to increase their capacity to assist Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the implementation of Title IV, Part A. Title IV, Part A encompasses a broad range of activities, including supporting well-rounded educational experiences, promoting safe and healthy students, and supporting the effective use of technology. The technical assistance would likely cover all these areas, helping SEAs understand the program requirements, develop effective strategies for LEA support, ensure compliance, and maximize the impact of the funds for student benefit.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY
Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 8757 GEORGIA AVE STE 1440, SILVER SPRING, MD, 20910
Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, DoT Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Minority Owned Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Special Designations, Indian (Subcontinent) American Owned Business, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $17,834,268
Exercised Options: $17,834,268
Current Obligation: $17,834,268
Actual Outlays: $16,649,695
Subaward Activity
Number of Subawards: 2
Total Subaward Amount: $647,938
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: EDESE15A0015
IDV Type: BPA
Timeline
Start Date: 2018-09-27
Current End Date: 2022-09-26
Potential End Date: 2023-09-26 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2025-08-04
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