Department of Education awards $24.18M contract for Regional Educational Laboratory Central services

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $24,180,000 ($24.2M)

Contractor: BNP Education Partners LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Education

Start Date: 2017-01-03

End Date: 2022-01-02

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $13.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 22

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: "OTHER FUNCTION" IGF::OT::IGF THE EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM ACT (ESRA) MANDATES THAT THE DEPARTMENT AWARD AND ADMINISTER TEN REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES (RELS). ESRA DEFINES THE TERM OF EACH REL, FIVE YEARS, AND THE CURRENT COHORT OF REL CONTRACTS EXPIRES JANUARY 2, 2017. THIS CONTRACT IS FOR REL CENTRAL. EACH REL IS CHARGED WITH PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING THREE PRIMARY TASKS APPLIED RESEARCH WHERE EACH REL WILL ADDRESSES COMPLEX QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING, LEARNING, ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS AND SYSTEMS, EDUCATION ACCESS, AND EDUCATION ATTAINMENT. TRAINING, COACHING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WHERE EACH REL WILL DESIGN THESE SERVICES TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF INDIVIDUALS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS, AND, WHEN APPROPRIATE, THE EDUCATION RESEARCH SECTOR. THE CONTENT OF ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED WITHIN THIS AREA OF WORK MUST BE CAREFULLY ASSESSED AGAINST THE RESEARCH BASE. DISSEMINATION WHERE REL DISSEMINATION FACILITATES THE WIDE SHARING OF RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH-RELATED INFORMATION TO SPARK NEW IDEAS, INTRODUCE INDIVIDUALS TO OTHERS WORKING ON SIMILAR ISSUES, AND REDUCE UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION. EACH TASK BUILDS ON THE OTHER, AND EACH INDIVIDUAL REL CONTRIBUTES TO AN OVERALL INCREASE IN EDUCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES.

Place of Performance

Location: CENTENNIAL, ARAPAHOE County, COLORADO, 80111

State: Colorado Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Education obligated $24.2 million to BNP EDUCATION PARTNERS LLC for work described as: "OTHER FUNCTION" IGF::OT::IGF THE EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM ACT (ESRA) MANDATES THAT THE DEPARTMENT AWARD AND ADMINISTER TEN REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES (RELS). ESRA DEFINES THE TERM OF EACH REL, FIVE YEARS, AND THE CURRENT COHORT OF REL CONTRACTS EXPIRES JANUARY 2, 2017. … Key points: 1. Contract supports applied research, training, and technical assistance to improve education. 2. Services aim to build capacity within individuals, organizations, and the education research sector. 3. The contract term is five years, aligning with the mandated duration for Regional Educational Laboratories. 4. This award is part of a larger initiative to administer ten Regional Educational Laboratories nationwide. 5. The fixed-price contract type suggests a defined scope and predictable costs for the government. 6. The contractor, BNP Education Partners LLC, will be responsible for delivering services across a defined region.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $24.18 million over five years equates to approximately $4.84 million annually. This appears to be a reasonable investment for comprehensive educational research and support services. Benchmarking against similar large-scale educational research grants or contracts would provide further context, but the scope of work suggests a significant undertaking. The firm fixed-price structure helps control costs for the government.

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 likely had the opportunity to submit proposals. This competitive process is expected to yield a fair price and high-quality services. The number of bidders (22) suggests robust interest and a healthy competitive environment for this type of federal contract.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition generally benefits taxpayers by driving down prices and encouraging innovation, leading to better value for public funds invested in educational research and support.

Public Impact

Educators, researchers, and policymakers across the REL Central region will benefit from enhanced research and technical assistance. Services delivered include applied research on teaching, learning, school organization, and educational attainment. Training and coaching will be provided to build capacity within educational institutions and the broader research community. The geographic impact is focused on the region served by REL Central, likely encompassing multiple states. Workforce implications include support for researchers and educators, potentially leading to professional development and improved practices.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Ensuring consistent quality of research and technical assistance across all RELs.
Measuring the long-term impact and effectiveness of the applied research and capacity-building activities.
Maintaining objectivity and avoiding bias in research findings and recommendations.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive selection process.
Firm fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
Contract duration of five years allows for sustained effort and impact.
The existence of 22 bidders indicates significant interest and a potentially strong pool of qualified contractors.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the broader 'Educational Support Services' sector, specifically focusing on applied research and technical assistance for educational improvement. The market for such services involves think tanks, research institutions, and specialized consulting firms. The government's investment in Regional Educational Laboratories is a strategic approach to disseminating evidence-based practices and supporting educational reform across the nation. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large federal grants for educational research and development.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that small business participation (sb) was not a specific set-aside for this contract (ss: false, sb: false). While there is no explicit small business set-aside, the prime contractor, BNP Education Partners LLC, may engage small businesses as subcontractors to fulfill parts of the contract requirements. The impact on the small business ecosystem would depend on the subcontracting opportunities offered.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the Department of Education's contracting officers and program officials. Accountability measures would be tied to the performance work statement, requiring the contractor to meet specific research, training, and technical assistance deliverables. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award notices and public reporting of research findings. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs)
Education Research and Development
Educational Technical Assistance Programs
Federal Grants for Education

Risk Flags

Potential for research findings to be theoretical rather than directly applicable to classroom settings.
Risk of technical assistance not being effectively adopted by educators due to varying needs and capacities.
Challenges in demonstrating direct, measurable impact on student achievement from REL activities.
Ensuring equitable distribution of resources and support across diverse educational contexts within the REL Central region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Education awarded $24.2 million to BNP EDUCATION PARTNERS LLC. "OTHER FUNCTION" IGF::OT::IGF THE EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM ACT (ESRA) MANDATES THAT THE DEPARTMENT AWARD AND ADMINISTER TEN REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES (RELS). ESRA DEFINES THE TERM OF EACH REL, FIVE YEARS, AND THE CURRENT COHORT OF REL CONTRACTS EXPIRES JANUARY 2, 2017. THIS CONTRACT IS FOR REL CENTRAL. EACH REL IS CHARGED WITH PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING THREE PRIMARY TASKS APPLIED RESEARCH WHERE EACH REL WILL ADDRESSES COMPLEX QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING, LEARNING, ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is BNP EDUCATION PARTNERS LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

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

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $24.2 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2017-01-03. End: 2022-01-02.

What is the track record of BNP Education Partners LLC in delivering similar federal education research and support contracts?

A thorough review of BNP Education Partners LLC's past performance would be necessary to assess their track record. This would involve examining previous federal contracts, particularly those involving large-scale applied research, training, and technical assistance in the education sector. Key indicators would include on-time delivery, adherence to budget, quality of deliverables, and client satisfaction ratings from past government agencies. Information from sources like the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and past performance questionnaires would be crucial in this assessment. Without specific data on their prior performance, it is difficult to definitively gauge their capabilities for this significant contract.

How does the annual cost of this contract compare to other federal investments in regional educational research and support?

The annual cost of approximately $4.84 million for REL Central is a substantial investment. To benchmark this effectively, one would need to compare it against the funding levels of other Regional Educational Laboratories, as well as other federal programs focused on educational research, development, and dissemination. For instance, comparing this to grants awarded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) for similar research scopes or to the budgets of other federal research centers can provide context. Factors such as the geographic scope of services, the specific research priorities addressed, and the intensity of technical assistance offered would influence these comparisons. A higher annual cost might be justified if REL Central addresses a broader or more complex set of educational challenges than other entities.

What are the primary risks associated with the performance of this contract, and how are they being mitigated?

Key risks for this contract include potential challenges in achieving measurable impact from applied research, difficulties in effectively delivering technical assistance to diverse stakeholders, and ensuring the quality and objectivity of research findings. There's also a risk of contractor performance not meeting expectations or of budget overruns, although the firm fixed-price structure mitigates the latter. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust performance monitoring by the Department of Education, clear performance metrics and deliverables outlined in the contract, regular progress reviews, and potentially requiring the contractor to demonstrate a strong quality assurance plan for their research and technical assistance activities. The competitive award process itself serves as an initial risk mitigation by selecting a contractor believed to be capable.

How effective are the Regional Educational Laboratories in achieving their stated goals of improving educational practice and outcomes?

The effectiveness of the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) is a subject of ongoing evaluation and depends on various factors, including the quality of research conducted, the relevance of technical assistance provided, and the capacity of educational practitioners to adopt evidence-based practices. While the REL program aims to bridge the gap between research and practice, measuring its direct impact on student outcomes can be challenging due to the complexity of educational systems and the long time horizons involved. Success is often gauged by the uptake of research findings, the improved capacity of educators and policymakers, and the dissemination of evidence-based strategies. Periodic program evaluations by the Department of Education and independent researchers are crucial for assessing and improving the RELs' overall effectiveness.

What has been the historical spending trend for Regional Educational Laboratories under the Department of Education?

Historical spending on Regional Educational Laboratories has generally been consistent, reflecting the long-standing mandate under the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) to support these entities. The program typically involves awarding multi-year contracts, with funding allocated annually. While specific dollar amounts may fluctuate year-to-year based on appropriations and contract renewals, the overall commitment to maintaining a network of ten RELs has remained a priority for the Department of Education. Analyzing past appropriations and contract values for previous REL cohorts would reveal trends in total program funding and individual contract sizes, providing insight into the government's sustained investment in this area of educational research and support.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Educational Services › Educational Support Services › Educational Support Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: ED-IES-15-R-0016

Offers Received: 22

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 2435 PARK RD, LAKE OSWEGO, OR, 97034

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $24,180,000

Exercised Options: $24,180,000

Current Obligation: $24,180,000

Actual Outlays: $12,968,466

Subaward Activity

Number of Subawards: 14

Total Subaward Amount: $3,237,287

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline