DOT's FTA awards $20.3M for Mega Project Management Oversight in New York
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $20,321,785 ($20.3M)
Contractor: Urban Engineers, Inc
Awarding Agency: Department of Transportation
Start Date: 2009-09-18
End Date: 2015-03-17
Contract Duration: 2,006 days
Daily Burn Rate: $10.1K/day
Competition Type: NON-COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Number of Offers Received: 5
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE
Sector: Transportation
Official Description: THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA), OFFICE OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (TPM), PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT (PMO) SERVICES FOR REGION II, NEW YORK MEGA PROJECTS
Place of Performance
Location: PHILADELPHIA, PHILADELPHIA County, PENNSYLVANIA, 19106
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Transportation obligated $20.3 million to URBAN ENGINEERS, INC for work described as: THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA), OFFICE OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (TPM), PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT (PMO) SERVICES FOR REGION II, NEW YORK MEGA PROJECTS Key points: 1. Spending focused on critical transit infrastructure oversight. 2. Sole-source award raises questions about competition and pricing. 3. Long contract duration (2009-2015) suggests ongoing need. 4. High value for management consulting services in a specific region.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract value of $20.3M over approximately 5.5 years for management consulting is substantial. Without comparable contracts or detailed cost breakdowns, assessing the value for money is difficult, especially given the non-competitive nature.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This was a non-competitive delivery order, meaning Urban Engineers, Inc. was selected without a bidding process. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers.
Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition may result in the government paying more than necessary for these essential project management oversight services.
Public Impact
Ensures oversight of major transit projects, impacting millions of commuters. Supports the Federal Transit Administration's mission to improve public transportation. Funds critical infrastructure development and management in the New York region. Potential for cost overruns due to sole-source award.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award
- Lack of competition
- Cost-plus contract type
Positive Signals
- Supports critical infrastructure
- Long-term project management
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under administrative and general management consulting services, specifically for large-scale transit projects. Benchmarks for such specialized oversight services are difficult to establish without more detail, but the value suggests a significant undertaking.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was not awarded to small businesses (ss: false, sb: false).
Oversight & Accountability
The contract was awarded by the Department of Transportation to the Federal Transit Administration. Oversight of mega projects is crucial, and the non-competitive nature warrants scrutiny to ensure accountability and value.
Related Government Programs
- Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Department of Transportation Contracting
- Federal Transit Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award limits competition.
- Cost-plus contract type shifts risk to the government.
- Lack of detailed service description.
- No performance metrics provided.
- Potential for cost overruns.
Tags
administrative-management-and-general-ma, department-of-transportation, pa, delivery-order, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Transportation awarded $20.3 million to URBAN ENGINEERS, INC. THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK ORDER IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA), OFFICE OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (TPM), PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT (PMO) SERVICES FOR REGION II, NEW YORK MEGA PROJECTS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is URBAN ENGINEERS, INC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Transportation (Federal Transit Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $20.3 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2009-09-18. End: 2015-03-17.
What was the justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis, and were alternatives considered?
The justification for a sole-source award is not provided in the data. Typically, sole-source contracts are used when only one responsible source can provide the required services. This could be due to unique capabilities, urgency, or specific program requirements. Without further documentation, it's impossible to confirm if alternatives were thoroughly explored or if this was the most cost-effective approach.
How does the cost-plus fixed fee structure impact the government's financial risk and the contractor's incentive for efficiency?
A Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract allows the contractor to recover all allowable costs plus a predetermined fixed fee. This structure shifts significant financial risk to the government, as they bear the cost overruns. While the fixed fee provides some incentive for the contractor to control costs, it can be less effective than other contract types in driving efficiency, especially if the initial cost estimates are inaccurate.
What specific project management oversight services were provided, and how was their effectiveness measured?
The data specifies 'Project Management Oversight (PMO) Services for Mega Projects' but does not detail the specific services rendered. Effectiveness is likely measured through project milestones, budget adherence, risk mitigation, and overall project success metrics. However, without performance reports or defined key performance indicators (KPIs) from the contract, a concrete assessment of effectiveness is not possible from this data alone.
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: NON-COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 5
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE (U)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 530 WALNUT ST 14TH FL, PHILADELPHIA, PA, 19106
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $20,321,785
Exercised Options: $20,321,785
Current Obligation: $20,321,785
Actual Outlays: $522,327
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: DTFT6009D00007
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2009-09-18
Current End Date: 2015-03-17
Potential End Date: 2015-03-17 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2022-02-04
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