DoD awards $628M for Miscellaneous Communication Equipment to Carlisle Research Corp

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $17,519,943 ($17.5M)

Contractor: Carlisle Research Corporation

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 1997-09-19

End Date: 2004-12-31

Contract Duration: 2,660 days

Daily Burn Rate: $6.6K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: IT

Official Description: 199712!5700!0649!GH50 !SACRAMENTO ALC/LMK !F0460697C0142 !A!*!* !19970919!20000930!627943442!627943442!627943442!N!0P5B6!CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION !7100 HAYVENHURST AVE !VAN NUYS !CA!91406!82128!037!06!VAN NUYS !LOS ANGELES !CALIFORNIA!0001!+000004020000!N!N!000000000000!5895!MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT !A7 !ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION !3000!NOT DISCERNABLE OR CLASSIFIED !7379!3!*!S!*!B!A!*!D !U!Y!1!001!N!1G!A!Y!Z!* !* !N!A!*!*!*!A!A!A!*!* !C!N!A!B!N!*!*!*!*!*!

Place of Performance

Location: VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES County, CALIFORNIA, 91406

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $17.5 million to CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION for work described as: 199712!5700!0649!GH50 !SACRAMENTO ALC/LMK !F0460697C0142 !A!*!* !19970919!20000930!627943442!627943442!627943442!N!0P5B6!CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION !7100 HAYVENHURST AVE !VAN NUYS !CA!91406!82128!037!06!VAN NUYS !LOS AN… Key points: 1. Significant contract value of $628 million awarded for communication equipment. 2. Sole-source award raises questions about competition and potential price discovery. 3. Contract duration of over 7 years suggests a long-term need for these services. 4. The sector is Electronics and Communication, a critical area for defense operations.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $628 million is substantial. Without competitive bidding, it's difficult to assess if this price is optimal compared to similar contracts for miscellaneous communication equipment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, indicating a lack of competition. This limits the government's ability to leverage market forces for better pricing and terms.

Taxpayer Impact: The absence of competition may lead to taxpayers paying a premium for the communication equipment and related services.

Public Impact

Taxpayers may be overpaying due to the lack of competitive bidding. The long contract duration could lock the government into potentially suboptimal pricing for an extended period. Dependence on a single contractor for critical communication equipment raises supply chain and innovation concerns.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award
Long contract duration
Lack of price competition

Positive Signals

Awarded to a specific corporation
Clear contract start and end dates

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Electronics and Communication sector, which is vital for national defense. Spending benchmarks for similar equipment can vary widely based on technological sophistication and quantity.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication that small businesses were involved in this sole-source award, either as prime contractors or subcontractors. Further investigation would be needed to confirm.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny from oversight bodies to ensure the government received fair value and that the justification for non-competition was sound.

Related Government Programs

Department of Defense Contracting
Defense Contract Management Agency Programs

Risk Flags

Potential for overpayment due to lack of competition.
Risk of vendor lock-in for critical communication systems.
Limited transparency on specific equipment and pricing.
Long-term commitment without demonstrated competitive advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $17.5 million to CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION. 199712!5700!0649!GH50 !SACRAMENTO ALC/LMK !F0460697C0142 !A!*!* !19970919!20000930!627943442!627943442!627943442!N!0P5B6!CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION !7100 HAYVENHURST AVE !VAN NUYS !CA!91406!82128!037!06!VAN NUYS !LOS ANGELES !CALIFORNIA!0001!+000004020000!N!N!000000000000!5895!MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT !A7 !ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION !3000!NOT DISCERNABLE OR CLASSIFIED !7379!3!*!S!*!B!A!*!D !U!Y!1!0

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is CARLISLE RESEARCH CORPORATION.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Defense Contract Management Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $17.5 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 1997-09-19. End: 2004-12-31.

What was the justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis?

The provided data indicates the contract was 'NOT COMPETED' and awarded as a 'SOLE-SOURCE'. A detailed justification would typically be required by federal acquisition regulations, outlining why only Carlisle Research Corporation could fulfill the requirement, such as unique capabilities, proprietary technology, or urgent need where competition was impractical.

How does the per-unit cost compare to similar communication equipment procured competitively?

Without competitive bidding data or specific item details, a direct per-unit cost comparison is impossible. The 'NOT DISCERNABLE OR CLASSIFIED' description for the item and the 'TIME AND MATERIALS' contract type further complicate cost analysis. Benchmarking would require detailed specifications and pricing from comparable competitive contracts.

What is the risk associated with a sole-source award for critical communication equipment?

Sole-source awards for critical equipment carry risks of inflated prices, reduced innovation, and potential vendor lock-in. If Carlisle Research Corporation faces production issues or goes out of business, the Department of Defense could face significant disruptions in its communication capabilities.

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 7100 HAYVENHURST AVE, VAN NUYS, CA, 91406

Business Categories: Black American Owned Business, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Special Designations

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Timeline