Department of Education awards $28.16M contract for ECLS-K:2011 data collection to Westat, Inc
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $28,157,789 ($28.2M)
Contractor: Westat, Inc.
Awarding Agency: Department of Education
Start Date: 2012-06-29
End Date: 2017-12-28
Contract Duration: 2,008 days
Daily Burn Rate: $14.0K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF "OTHER FUNCTIONS" THIS CONTRACT IS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY, KINDERGARTEN CLASS OF 2010-2011, THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE DATA COLLECTION CONTRACT (ECLS-K: 2011) AND DESIGNED FOR DATA COLLECTIONS FOR THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE YEARS. THE PURPOSE OF THE ECLS-K:2011 IS TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON CHILDREN EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TRANSITION INTO KINDERGARTEN, AND PROGRESS THROUGH THE ELEMENTARY GRADES, BUILDING UPON KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FROM THE PREVIOUS EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY.
Place of Performance
Location: ROCKVILLE, MONTGOMERY County, MARYLAND, 20850
State: Maryland Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Education obligated $28.2 million to WESTAT, INC. for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF "OTHER FUNCTIONS" THIS CONTRACT IS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY, KINDERGARTEN CLASS OF 2010-2011, THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE DATA COLLECTION CONTRACT (ECLS-K: 2011) AND DESIGNED FOR DATA COLLECTIONS FOR THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE YEARS. THE PURPOSE OF TH… Key points: 1. Contract supports crucial longitudinal study on early childhood development and education. 2. Westat, Inc. is the sole awardee for this data collection phase. 3. Potential risk related to data integrity and long-term study continuity. 4. Spending falls within the R&D sector, specifically social sciences research.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $28.16 million over approximately 5 years for a complex longitudinal study appears reasonable. Benchmarking against similar large-scale educational data collection contracts is difficult without more specific cost breakdowns.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. This method is generally expected to yield fair pricing, though specific price discovery details are not provided.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are used to support a significant educational research initiative that can inform policy and practice.
Public Impact
Provides valuable data for understanding early learning and educational progress. Informs policy decisions related to early childhood education and K-12 schooling. Contributes to academic research on child development and educational outcomes.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Data quality and consistency over multiple years.
- Long-term funding stability for continued data collection.
- Potential for scope creep or unforeseen research needs.
Positive Signals
- Supports a high-priority federal research program.
- Awarded through a competitive process.
- Experienced contractor in longitudinal studies.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Spending benchmarks for similar large-scale, multi-year educational data collection efforts are highly variable, but this award appears to be within a typical range for such projects.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates that small businesses were not directly involved in this specific contract award. Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses were subcontractors or involved in earlier phases.
Oversight & Accountability
The Department of Education's Inspector General would typically oversee the financial and programmatic aspects of such contracts to ensure accountability and proper use of funds.
Related Government Programs
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
- Department of Education Contracting
- Department of Education Programs
Risk Flags
- Potential for participant attrition impacting data representativeness.
- Risk of data quality degradation over extended collection periods.
- Dependence on long-term funding for study continuity.
- Complexity of managing longitudinal data collection across multiple years.
Tags
research-and-development-in-the-social-s, department-of-education, md, definitive-contract, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Education awarded $28.2 million to WESTAT, INC.. IGF::OT::IGF "OTHER FUNCTIONS" THIS CONTRACT IS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY, KINDERGARTEN CLASS OF 2010-2011, THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE DATA COLLECTION CONTRACT (ECLS-K: 2011) AND DESIGNED FOR DATA COLLECTIONS FOR THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE YEARS. THE PURPOSE OF THE ECLS-K:2011 IS TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON CHILDREN EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TRANSITION INTO KINDERGARTEN, AND PROGRESS THROUGH THE ELEMENTARY GRADES, BUILDING UPON KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FROM THE PREVIOUS E
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is WESTAT, INC..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Education (Department of Education).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $28.2 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2012-06-29. End: 2017-12-28.
What is the projected long-term value of the data collected by the ECLS-K:2011 study for educational policy and research?
The ECLS-K:2011 study is designed to provide a rich dataset tracking children's development and educational trajectories from early childhood through elementary school. The long-term value lies in its ability to inform evidence-based policies, identify effective educational interventions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of factors influencing student success. This data can guide resource allocation, curriculum development, and teacher training for decades.
What are the primary risks associated with ensuring the quality and consistency of data collected over multiple years for the ECLS-K:2011 study?
Key risks include participant attrition (families moving or opting out), changes in data collection methodologies over time, interviewer bias, and ensuring consistent data entry and management protocols across different grade levels. Mitigating these requires robust sampling strategies, continuous training for data collectors, rigorous quality control measures, and adaptive strategies to maintain participant engagement throughout the study's duration.
How effectively does the ECLS-K:2011 data collection contract contribute to the Department of Education's mission of promoting educational excellence?
The contract directly supports the Department's mission by generating critical data on early learning and elementary education. This information is essential for evaluating program effectiveness, identifying achievement gaps, and developing targeted interventions. By providing insights into what works in education, the data empowers the Department to make informed decisions and allocate resources to improve educational outcomes nationwide.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Product/Service Code: SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS, NOT R&D › SPECIAL STUDIES - NOT R and D
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Solicitation ID: ED-IES-12-R-0015
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE (U)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 1600 RESEARCH BLVD, ROCKVILLE, MD, 20850
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $28,157,790
Exercised Options: $28,157,790
Current Obligation: $28,157,789
Subaward Activity
Number of Subawards: 4
Total Subaward Amount: $2,687,396
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2012-06-29
Current End Date: 2017-12-28
Potential End Date: 2017-12-28 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2023-09-07
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