Department of Education awards $20M contract for IES cloud hosting and website support to Quality Information Partners, Inc
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $20,088,377 ($20.1M)
Contractor: Quality Information Partners, Inc.
Awarding Agency: Department of Education
Start Date: 2021-07-26
End Date: 2026-07-25
Contract Duration: 1,825 days
Daily Burn Rate: $11.0K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES
Number of Offers Received: 8
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: IT
Official Description: CLOUD HOSTING, SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION, AND WEBSITE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES (IES)
Place of Performance
Location: FAIRFAX, FAIRFAX CITY County, VIRGINIA, 22030
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Education obligated $20.1 million to QUALITY INFORMATION PARTNERS, INC. for work described as: CLOUD HOSTING, SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION, AND WEBSITE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES (IES) Key points: 1. Contract awarded to Quality Information Partners, Inc. for cloud hosting and website support. 2. The contract has a value of $20,008,377.15 and a duration of 5 years. 3. Competition was full and open after exclusion of sources, indicating a competitive bidding process. 4. The sector is IT, specifically computing infrastructure and web hosting services.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract's fixed price structure provides cost certainty. Benchmarking against similar IT support contracts is difficult without more granular data on service scope, but the price appears reasonable for a 5-year comprehensive support agreement.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition after exclusion of sources. This method generally promotes competitive pricing and ensures the government receives the best value by considering all responsible sources.
Taxpayer Impact: The competitive nature of the award suggests taxpayers are likely receiving fair market value for the services rendered.
Public Impact
Ensures continued operation and development of critical educational data systems. Supports the Institute of Education Sciences' mission to provide rigorous and timely data. Maintains the availability and functionality of public-facing educational resources.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for vendor lock-in if transition is complex.
- Reliance on a single vendor for critical IT infrastructure.
Positive Signals
- Firm Fixed Price contract provides budget predictability.
- Long-term contract (5 years) allows for stable service delivery.
- Full and open competition suggests a competitive price was achieved.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the IT sector, specifically focusing on cloud hosting, system administration, and website development. Spending in this area is substantial across government agencies to maintain digital infrastructure and services.
Small Business Impact
The data does not indicate whether small businesses were involved as subcontractors. The primary awardee is Quality Information Partners, Inc., and further analysis would be needed to determine small business participation.
Oversight & Accountability
The Department of Education is the contracting agency, responsible for oversight. The contract type (Firm Fixed Price) and duration suggest a structured approach to managing performance and costs.
Related Government Programs
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
- Department of Education Contracting
- Department of Education Programs
Risk Flags
- Potential for vendor lock-in.
- Reliance on a single vendor for critical IT services.
- Effectiveness of 'exclusion of sources' in maintaining broad competition.
- Ensuring continued innovation in website development and system administration.
Tags
computing-infrastructure-providers-data-, department-of-education, va, definitive-contract, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Education awarded $20.1 million to QUALITY INFORMATION PARTNERS, INC.. CLOUD HOSTING, SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION, AND WEBSITE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES (IES)
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is QUALITY INFORMATION PARTNERS, INC..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Education (Department of Education).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $20.1 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2021-07-26. End: 2026-07-25.
What specific metrics are used to evaluate the quality of cloud hosting, system administration, and website support provided by Quality Information Partners, Inc.?
Performance metrics are typically detailed in the contract's Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS). These often include uptime guarantees for hosting, response times for system administration issues, and successful deployment rates for website development. The contract's success hinges on meeting these defined service level agreements (SLAs).
What is the risk associated with the 'exclusion of sources' clause in the full and open competition?
While the competition was 'full and open,' the 'exclusion of sources' clause implies that certain potential bidders were disqualified based on specific criteria, possibly related to security, past performance, or technical capabilities. This could limit the pool of competitors, potentially impacting the final price or innovation, though it aims to ensure only qualified vendors participate.
How effectively does this contract support the Institute of Education Sciences' mission to provide timely and accurate educational data?
The contract directly supports the IES mission by ensuring the reliable operation and development of its IT infrastructure, including data hosting and website support. Stable and efficient systems are crucial for processing, analyzing, and disseminating educational data, thus enabling the IES to fulfill its mandate effectively.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - COMPUTE
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Solicitation ID: 91990021R0010
Offers Received: 8
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 10822 SCOTT DR, FAIRFAX, VA, 22030
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $22,585,833
Exercised Options: $20,088,377
Current Obligation: $20,088,377
Actual Outlays: $17,632,586
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2021-07-26
Current End Date: 2026-07-25
Potential End Date: 2027-01-25 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2025-07-29
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