Department of Education awards $25.5M contract for digital library services to General Dynamics Information Technology

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $25,451,485 ($25.5M)

Contractor: General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Education

Start Date: 2009-08-03

End Date: 2013-08-03

Contract Duration: 1,461 days

Daily Burn Rate: $17.4K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE INFORMATION CENTER DIGITAL LIBRARY

Place of Performance

Location: CHANTILLY, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 20151

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Education obligated $25.5 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC. for work described as: EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE INFORMATION CENTER DIGITAL LIBRARY Key points: 1. Contract value represents a significant investment in educational resources. 2. General Dynamics Information Technology, a large incumbent, secured this contract. 3. The contract duration of 4 years suggests a need for sustained service. 4. Fixed-price contract type aims to control costs for the government. 5. The service falls under Libraries and Archives, a niche but important sector. 6. This award is part of a broader trend in federal spending on digital information access.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $25.5 million over four years averages to approximately $6.37 million annually. Benchmarking this against similar contracts for large-scale digital library management is challenging without more specific service details. However, given the scale and nature of the service, the pricing appears within a reasonable range for a large federal IT contract. The fixed-price nature provides cost certainty, but the ultimate value for money depends on the quality and accessibility of the educational resources provided.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. The presence of 3 bidders suggests a moderate level of competition for this specific requirement. While full and open competition is generally preferred for ensuring fair pricing and access for a wide range of contractors, the specific number of bidders can influence price discovery. A higher number of bidders typically leads to more competitive pricing.

Taxpayer Impact: The full and open competition process, with multiple bidders, likely resulted in a more favorable price for taxpayers compared to a sole-source or limited competition award.

Public Impact

Students, educators, and researchers nationwide benefit from access to the ERIC digital library. The contract ensures the continued operation and accessibility of a vital educational resource. Services delivered include the maintenance, hosting, and dissemination of educational research. Geographic impact is national, providing access to users across the United States. Workforce implications include IT support, library science, and data management roles.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if services are highly specialized.
Reliance on a single large contractor for critical educational infrastructure.
Risk of cost overruns if fixed-price contract doesn't account for unforeseen technical challenges.

Positive Signals

Award to a large, established IT provider suggests a lower risk of contractor failure.
Fixed-price contract provides budget certainty for the Department of Education.
Full and open competition indicates a potentially competitive pricing structure.

Sector Analysis

The federal IT services sector is vast, with significant spending on information management and digital infrastructure. Contracts like this, supporting specialized digital libraries, are crucial for disseminating knowledge and research. The market for such services involves large IT integrators capable of managing complex data systems and ensuring high availability. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically be found within IT services for government agencies, particularly those focused on information dissemination and archival.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not set aside for small businesses, and there is no indication of specific subcontracting requirements for small businesses in the provided data. The award to a large prime contractor like General Dynamics Information Technology suggests that small businesses are unlikely to be direct beneficiaries of this prime contract, though they may participate as subcontractors if opportunities arise.

Oversight & Accountability

The Department of Education's internal oversight mechanisms would be responsible for monitoring contract performance, ensuring adherence to terms, and managing any potential issues. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse. Transparency is generally maintained through contract databases like FPDS, which provide public access to contract awards and basic details.

Related Government Programs

Federal Depository Library Program
National Archives and Records Administration
Library of Congress Digital Collections
National Science Foundation Research Data Management

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in
Reliance on a single large contractor
Need for robust performance monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Education awarded $25.5 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE INFORMATION CENTER DIGITAL LIBRARY

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Education (Department of Education).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $25.5 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2009-08-03. End: 2013-08-03.

What is the historical spending pattern for the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) digital library services?

Historical spending data for the ERIC digital library services prior to this $25.5 million award is not detailed in the provided data. However, the contract duration of 1461 days (approximately 4 years) and the award amount suggest a consistent need and investment in these services. To understand historical patterns, one would need to examine previous contract awards for ERIC digital library management, potentially with different contractors or under different contract vehicles. Analyzing spending trends over multiple contract cycles would reveal whether the investment has been increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable, and how it compares to the overall budget of the Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI).

How does the per-unit cost of managing digital resources compare to similar federal library or archival contracts?

Determining a precise per-unit cost for managing digital resources under this contract is difficult without more granular data on the volume and type of resources managed, as well as the specific services provided (e.g., ingestion, cataloging, hosting, user support). The contract value of $25.5 million over four years averages to roughly $6.37 million annually. To benchmark this, one would need to compare it to contracts for similar-scale digital repositories or library services within other federal agencies. For instance, contracts supporting the Library of Congress's digital collections or the National Archives' digital preservation efforts might offer comparable metrics. Without such specific comparisons, it's challenging to definitively state whether the per-unit cost is high or low.

What is General Dynamics Information Technology's track record with similar federal library and information management contracts?

General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) is a large and established federal contractor with extensive experience in IT services, including information management, library systems, and digital archiving. While specific details of their past performance on contracts directly analogous to the ERIC digital library are not provided here, GDIT has a history of managing large-scale IT infrastructure and data services for various government agencies. Their portfolio often includes support for scientific and research data, knowledge management systems, and digital content platforms. A thorough assessment would involve reviewing their past performance evaluations (e.g., CPARS reports) on relevant contracts to gauge their reliability, technical proficiency, and customer satisfaction in similar domains.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of this contract?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. However, typical KPIs for a digital library service contract would likely include metrics related to system uptime and availability, response times for user queries and resource access, data integrity and preservation rates, user satisfaction scores, the volume of resources processed and made accessible, and adherence to security protocols. The Department of Education would establish these KPIs in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) to ensure that General Dynamics Information Technology is meeting the required service levels and delivering the expected value for the investment made in the ERIC digital library.

What is the potential impact of this contract on the accessibility and usability of educational research?

This contract is crucial for ensuring the continued accessibility and usability of the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) digital library, a primary repository for education research in the United States. By awarding this contract to General Dynamics Information Technology, the Department of Education aims to maintain and potentially enhance the platform's functionality, search capabilities, and the overall user experience. Improved accessibility means that educators, policymakers, and researchers can more easily find and utilize relevant studies, contributing to evidence-based practices and informed decision-making in education. Enhanced usability could involve better search filters, more intuitive navigation, and wider compatibility across devices.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Other Information Services › Libraries and Archives

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: ED-CAM-09-R-0007

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: General Dynamics Corp (UEI: 001381284)

Address: 15000 CONFERENCE CENTER DR, CHANTILLY, VA, 20151

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $36,990,342

Exercised Options: $25,669,648

Current Obligation: $25,451,485

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM

Timeline