Patent data capture and printing contract awarded to Reed Technology and Information Services for over $52.8 million

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $52,847,703 ($52.8M)

Contractor: Reed Technology and Information Services LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Commerce

Start Date: 2006-11-01

End Date: 2009-12-31

Contract Duration: 1,156 days

Daily Burn Rate: $45.7K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: COST FOR PATENT DATA CAPTURE-PATENT PRINTING (IDC,FDC,ETC.) 50PAPT0410001. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 11/05/06 - 01/20/07. PP# 1008A

Place of Performance

Location: HORSHAM, MONTGOMERY County, PENNSYLVANIA, 19044

State: Pennsylvania Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Commerce obligated $52.8 million to REED TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SERVICES LLC for work described as: COST FOR PATENT DATA CAPTURE-PATENT PRINTING (IDC,FDC,ETC.) 50PAPT0410001. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 11/05/06 - 01/20/07. PP# 1008A Key points: 1. Contract value appears high for a short-term data processing and printing service. 2. Limited competition dynamics may have influenced pricing. 3. Performance period is relatively short, suggesting a specific, time-bound need. 4. Fixed-price contract type shifts risk to the contractor. 5. The service provided is essential for patent record management.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract's total value of over $52.8 million for a period of approximately two years (November 2006 to January 2009) seems substantial for patent data capture and printing services. Benchmarking against similar contracts is difficult without more specific service details and market rates for data processing and printing in that era. However, the cost per day is approximately $45,716, which warrants further investigation into the efficiency and necessity of this expenditure.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple bidders were likely considered. However, the provided data does not specify the number of bids received. Full and open competition generally promotes price discovery and can lead to more competitive pricing for the government.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from the potential for competitive pricing due to the full and open competition, although the overall value still appears high.

Public Impact

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) benefits from the accurate capture and printing of patent data. This service ensures the integrity and accessibility of patent records. The contract supports the operational needs of the USPTO in managing intellectual property information. The workforce implications are likely internal to the contractor, Reed Technology and Information Services.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

High total contract value for a relatively short performance period.
Lack of specific details on the scope of 'data capture' and 'printing' makes value assessment challenging.
The 'All Other Publishers' NAICS code might not fully capture the specialized nature of patent data processing.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process.
Firm fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
The contract addresses a core function of the USPTO: managing patent information.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the publishing and information services sector, specifically related to data processing and printing. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office relies on such services to maintain its vast repository of intellectual property information. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend on the specific nature of the data capture and printing requirements, but the scale of this contract suggests a significant operational need for the USPTO.

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, Reed Technology and Information Services LLC, is likely a larger entity.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures are inherent in the firm fixed-price contract, requiring the contractor to deliver specified services within the agreed-upon price. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract award databases, though detailed performance metrics may not always be publicly available.

Related Government Programs

Patent Application Processing
Intellectual Property Management Systems
Government Publishing Services
Document Digitization and Archiving

Risk Flags

High total cost for a short-term service.
Ambiguity in service scope ('data capture', 'printing').

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Commerce awarded $52.8 million to REED TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SERVICES LLC. COST FOR PATENT DATA CAPTURE-PATENT PRINTING (IDC,FDC,ETC.) 50PAPT0410001. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 11/05/06 - 01/20/07. PP# 1008A

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is REED TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SERVICES LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Commerce (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $52.8 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2006-11-01. End: 2009-12-31.

What specific services were included under 'patent data capture' and 'patent printing' for this contract?

The provided data is limited and does not detail the specific services encompassed by 'patent data capture' and 'patent printing.' 'Data capture' could range from digitizing existing paper records to extracting specific data fields from electronic submissions. 'Patent printing' likely refers to the physical or digital production of patent documents for distribution or archival. Without further documentation, it is difficult to ascertain the exact scope, which impacts the ability to assess the value proposition and compare it to industry standards. The NAICS code 511199 (All Other Publishers) is broad and may not fully represent the specialized nature of patent data handling.

How many bids were received for this contract, and what was the range of proposed prices?

The data indicates that the contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION,' which implies that multiple bidders were allowed to submit proposals. However, the specific number of bids received and the range of proposed prices are not provided in the given data. Knowing this information would be crucial for a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape and to determine if the awarded price was indeed competitive. The absence of this detail limits the assessment of price discovery and potential savings for the government.

What is the historical spending pattern for similar patent data capture and printing services by the USPTO?

The provided data snippet focuses on a single contract (50PAPT0410001) and does not offer historical spending patterns for similar services by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). To establish a historical context, one would need to examine prior contracts for patent data capture and printing, analyze their values, durations, and the contractors involved. Understanding trends in spending, cost per unit, and the evolution of technology in this area would provide a clearer picture of whether the $52.8 million awarded to Reed Technology and Information Services LLC was consistent with past expenditures or represented a significant deviation.

What was the track record of Reed Technology and Information Services LLC with government contracts prior to this award?

The provided data identifies Reed Technology and Information Services LLC as the contractor but does not include information about their prior track record with government contracts. A comprehensive assessment would require reviewing their past performance on federal awards, including client satisfaction, adherence to schedules and budgets, and any history of disputes or contract terminations. This information is vital for understanding the contractor's reliability and experience in fulfilling complex government requirements, especially for a contract of this magnitude.

How does the cost per day of this contract compare to industry benchmarks for data processing and printing services?

The contract duration is 1156 days, and the total cost is $52,847,702.77. This results in a daily cost of approximately $45,716. However, comparing this figure to industry benchmarks for data processing and printing services is challenging without a precise definition of the services rendered. 'Data capture' can vary significantly in complexity, from simple scanning to complex data extraction and validation. Similarly, 'printing' requirements can range from standard document output to specialized formats. Without granular details on the scope of work and the specific technologies or processes employed, a meaningful industry benchmark comparison is not feasible.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers › All Other Publishers

Product/Service Code: BOOKS, MAPS, OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Reed Elsevier Group PLC (UEI: 230792756)

Address: 275 GIBRALTAR RD, HORSHAM, PA, 19044

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $52,851,316

Exercised Options: $52,851,316

Current Obligation: $52,847,703

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: DOC50PAPT0410001

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline