Air Force Awards $12.7M Contract to Southern Methodist University for Geophysical Equipment Support in South Korea
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $12,690,900 ($12.7M)
Contractor: Southern Methodist University
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Date: 2020-03-01
End Date: 2026-11-30
Contract Duration: 2,465 days
Daily Burn Rate: $5.1K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST NO FEE
Sector: Other
Official Description: SUPPORTS THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER (AFTAC) MISSION BY OPERATING, MAINTAINING, AND SUSTAINING GEOPHYSICAL EQUIPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.
Place of Performance
Location: DALLAS, DALLAS County, TEXAS, 75275
State: Texas Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Defense obligated $12.7 million to SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY for work described as: SUPPORTS THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER (AFTAC) MISSION BY OPERATING, MAINTAINING, AND SUSTAINING GEOPHYSICAL EQUIPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. Key points: 1. The contract supports critical Air Force operations in South Korea. 2. Southern Methodist University is the sole awardee, raising questions about competition. 3. The contract's duration and cost require scrutiny for value. 4. This falls under 'Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services', a broad category.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $12.7 million over approximately 2465 days (2020-2026) suggests a moderate annual spend. Benchmarking against similar technical consulting services for military operations is difficult without more specific service details.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers compared to a competitive process.
Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition may result in the government paying more than necessary for these specialized services.
Public Impact
Ensures continued operational readiness of vital geophysical equipment for the Air Force. Supports a specific geographic location (Republic of Korea), impacting regional defense capabilities. The long-term nature of the contract provides stability for the supported mission.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of competition
- Potential for overpayment due to sole-source award
- Long contract duration without clear performance metrics
Positive Signals
- Supports a critical national security mission
- Provides continuity of essential services
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under 'Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services'. Spending in this broad category can vary significantly, but contracts supporting specialized military technical functions often involve unique expertise and higher costs.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was awarded to Southern Methodist University, a large research institution, and does not show any indication of subcontracting to small businesses.
Oversight & Accountability
The 'NOT COMPETED' status suggests a potential lack of robust oversight in the procurement process. Further review of the justification for sole-source award and ongoing performance monitoring is recommended.
Related Government Programs
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Department of Defense Contracting
- Department of the Air Force Programs
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award lacks competition
- Potential for inflated pricing
- Limited transparency on justification for non-competition
- No clear performance metrics provided
- Long contract duration without competitive re-evaluation
Tags
other-scientific-and-technical-consultin, department-of-defense, tx, definitive-contract, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Defense awarded $12.7 million to SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY. SUPPORTS THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER (AFTAC) MISSION BY OPERATING, MAINTAINING, AND SUSTAINING GEOPHYSICAL EQUIPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Department of the Air Force).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $12.7 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2020-03-01. End: 2026-11-30.
What is the justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis, and what steps were taken to ensure fair and reasonable pricing?
The justification for a sole-source award is not provided in the data. Typically, such justifications require demonstrating that only one source can meet the requirement, or that a competitive process is not feasible or in the government's best interest. Without this justification, it's impossible to assess the fairness of the pricing or the effectiveness of the procurement process.
How does the cost of operating and maintaining this geophysical equipment compare to similar operations or previous contracts?
The provided data does not include historical cost data or benchmarks for similar geophysical equipment operations. To assess value, a comparison would be needed with costs for similar equipment maintenance and operation in other military branches or allied nations, as well as any previous contracts for this specific AFTAC mission.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract, and how is Southern Methodist University's performance being measured to ensure mission effectiveness?
Key performance indicators and specific performance metrics are not detailed in the provided contract data. Effective oversight would require clearly defined KPIs related to equipment uptime, maintenance response times, and overall mission support effectiveness, with regular reviews to ensure the contractor is meeting these standards.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE
Solicitation ID: FA702219RA008
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST NO FEE (S)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Southern Methodist University Inc
Address: 6425 BOAZ LANE, DALLAS, TX, 75205
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Educational Institution, Higher Education, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Higher Education (Private), Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $17,925,683
Exercised Options: $12,690,900
Current Obligation: $12,690,900
Actual Outlays: $769,655
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2020-03-01
Current End Date: 2026-11-30
Potential End Date: 2029-05-31 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2025-11-19
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