Dot's $17M Dafis UDO Reconstruct Contract Awarded to Optimus Corp

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $17,059,260 ($17.1M)

Contractor: Optimus Corporation

Awarding Agency: Department of Transportation

Start Date: 2008-07-25

End Date: 2009-05-06

Contract Duration: 285 days

Daily Burn Rate: $59.9K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: IT

Official Description: DAFIS UDO RECONSTRUCT W/O ADVANCE

Place of Performance

Location: MC LEAN, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22102

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Transportation obligated $17.1 million to OPTIMUS CORPORATION for work described as: DAFIS UDO RECONSTRUCT W/O ADVANCE Key points: 1. Contract awarded for IT services related to data reconstruction. 2. Optimus Corporation secured the contract. 3. The contract falls under 'Other Computer Related Services' (NAICS 541519). 4. Awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Department of Transportation (DOT). 5. Contract duration was 285 days.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract was Time and Materials, which can lead to cost overruns if not managed tightly. The awarded amount of $17.06M suggests a significant project, but without a fixed price or detailed cost breakdown, assessing value is difficult.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating a competitive bidding process. However, the Time and Materials pricing structure may limit price discovery and potentially lead to higher costs than a fixed-price contract.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds were used for this contract. The competitive nature is positive, but the T&M structure warrants scrutiny to ensure cost efficiency.

Public Impact

This contract supports the Federal Aviation Administration's IT infrastructure. Data reconstruction services are critical for maintaining operational systems. The project aimed to reconstruct data without advance, suggesting a need for system recovery or modernization.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials pricing structure
Potential for cost overruns
Limited visibility into specific cost drivers

Positive Signals

Full and open competition
Awarded by a major federal agency (DOT/FAA)

Sector Analysis

The IT services sector is vast. This contract falls under 'Other Computer Related Services', which can include a range of IT support and development. Benchmarking requires specific service details, but $17M for a 285-day project is substantial.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not awarded to a small business (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there is no direct benefit to small businesses from this specific award.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight would typically be managed by the FAA contracting officer and program managers. The Time and Materials nature necessitates diligent monitoring of labor hours and material costs to ensure fair pricing and prevent waste.

Related Government Programs

Other Computer Related Services
Department of Transportation Contracting
Federal Aviation Administration Programs

Risk Flags

Time and Materials contract type
Potential for cost overruns
Lack of detailed cost breakdown in provided data
No small business participation noted

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Transportation awarded $17.1 million to OPTIMUS CORPORATION. DAFIS UDO RECONSTRUCT W/O ADVANCE

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is OPTIMUS CORPORATION.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Transportation (Federal Aviation Administration).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $17.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2008-07-25. End: 2009-05-06.

What was the primary driver for the DAFIS UDO RECONSTRUCT project, and how did it impact operational efficiency?

The primary driver was likely the need to reconstruct or update the DAFIS (Data Analysis and Flight Information System) data without relying on advance information, suggesting a critical system maintenance or recovery effort. Successful reconstruction would aim to improve data integrity, system reliability, and potentially enhance operational efficiency for the FAA by ensuring accurate and accessible flight information.

What specific risks were associated with the Time and Materials contract type for this data reconstruction effort?

The main risk with a Time and Materials (T&M) contract is the potential for cost escalation, as the government pays for actual labor hours and material costs incurred. For data reconstruction, this could mean unforeseen complexities in the data requiring more hours, or higher-than-expected material costs, leading to the final cost exceeding initial estimates without a fixed ceiling.

How effective was the full and open competition in ensuring a competitive price for the DAFIS UDO RECONSTRUCT services?

While full and open competition is designed to foster competitive pricing, the effectiveness in this case is tempered by the T&M contract type. It ensures multiple bidders could participate, but the T&M structure itself shifts cost risk to the government, potentially limiting the price advantage gained from competition compared to a fixed-price contract. The final price's effectiveness depends heavily on post-award management.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Interactive Technology Solutions LLC (UEI: 101472970)

Address: 7926 JONES BRANCH DRIVE, MCLEAN, VA, 90

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $6,007,063,514

Exercised Options: $17,059,260

Current Obligation: $17,059,260

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: DTFAWA03D03034

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline