Air Force awards $21M follow-on contract for geophysical advisory services to Kegman Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $21,068,042 ($21.1M)

Contractor: Kegman Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2025-01-01

End Date: 2026-11-30

Contract Duration: 698 days

Daily Burn Rate: $30.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: THIS TASK ORDER IS FOR MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH CONCEPTS GEOPHYSICAL EXPANDED ACQUISITION FOLLOW-ON WHICH PROVIDES NON-PERSONAL ADVISORY AND ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER.

Place of Performance

Location: PATRICK AFB, BREVARD County, FLORIDA, 32925

State: Florida Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $21.1 million to KEGMAN INC. for work described as: THIS TASK ORDER IS FOR MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH CONCEPTS GEOPHYSICAL EXPANDED ACQUISITION FOLLOW-ON WHICH PROVIDES NON-PERSONAL ADVISORY AND ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER. Key points: 1. Contract provides essential advisory and assistance services for geophysical concepts. 2. Follow-on nature suggests prior successful performance or established need. 3. Firm Fixed Price contract type offers cost certainty for the government. 4. Long duration of nearly two years indicates a significant, ongoing requirement. 5. Awarded under full and open competition, implying a broad search for qualified vendors. 6. Geographic focus on Florida for service delivery.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $21.1 million over 23 months represents a significant investment in specialized consulting services. Benchmarking this against similar contracts for 'Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services' (NAICS 541690) is challenging without more specific service details. However, the firm fixed-price nature provides a degree of cost control. The follow-on aspect suggests that the pricing may reflect a known quantity or a continuation of previously established rates, which could be favorable if past performance was efficient.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that the Department of the Air Force sought proposals from all responsible sources. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but this procurement method generally fosters a competitive environment, encouraging multiple vendors to submit proposals. This process aims to ensure the government receives the best value by leveraging market forces to drive down prices and improve service quality.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is beneficial for taxpayers as it increases the likelihood of obtaining services at competitive prices, preventing potential overcharges that could arise from limited or sole-source awards.

Public Impact

The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) is the primary beneficiary, receiving critical advisory and research support. Services include management, engineering, and research concepts related to geophysics. The contract supports national security objectives by ensuring advanced geophysical capabilities. Work is concentrated in Florida, potentially impacting the local professional services workforce.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if advisory services are not clearly defined and managed.
Reliance on a single contractor for specialized geophysical expertise could pose a risk if performance issues arise.

Positive Signals

Firm Fixed Price contract provides budget predictability.
Follow-on nature suggests established relationship and potentially smoother execution.
Full and open competition indicates a robust vetting process for the contractor.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically 'Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services' (NAICS 541690). This sector is crucial for government agencies requiring specialized expertise that may not be available in-house. The total federal spending in this broad category is substantial, with significant portions allocated to defense and research initiatives. This particular contract supports a niche but vital area of geophysical research and application for the Air Force.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there are no direct subcontracting implications for small businesses mandated by a set-aside. However, the prime contractor, Kegman Inc., may choose to subcontract portions of the work to small businesses as part of their overall business strategy, which could provide opportunities within the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will likely be managed by the contracting officer and program managers within the Department of the Air Force. The firm fixed-price nature provides a degree of financial oversight by capping the government's expenditure. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases and reporting requirements. Specific Inspector General (IG) jurisdiction would depend on the nature of any potential fraud, waste, or abuse identified during the contract performance period.

Related Government Programs

Air Force Research Laboratory Contracts
Department of Defense Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Geophysical Survey and Analysis Contracts
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Research Support

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in due to specialized knowledge
Risk of performance degradation over contract duration
Need for clear scope definition to prevent scope creep

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $21.1 million to KEGMAN INC.. THIS TASK ORDER IS FOR MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH CONCEPTS GEOPHYSICAL EXPANDED ACQUISITION FOLLOW-ON WHICH PROVIDES NON-PERSONAL ADVISORY AND ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR THE AIR FORCE TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS CENTER.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is KEGMAN INC..

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 $21.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2025-01-01. End: 2026-11-30.

What is Kegman Inc.'s track record with the Department of Defense, particularly in providing geophysical advisory services?

Assessing Kegman Inc.'s track record requires a review of their past performance on federal contracts, especially those with the Department of Defense and the Air Force. Information on previous awards, contract values, performance evaluations (e.g., Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System - CPARS), and any past disputes or terminations would be crucial. Given this is a follow-on contract, it implies a prior engagement where their performance was deemed satisfactory. Further analysis would involve examining the scope and success of previous related work to understand their capabilities and reliability in delivering geophysical advisory services.

How does the $21.1 million contract value compare to similar geophysical advisory service contracts awarded by the Air Force or DoD?

Benchmarking the $21.1 million value requires comparing it against contracts for similar services (management, engineering, research concepts in geophysics) awarded over a comparable period (23 months) by the Air Force or other DoD components. Without access to a detailed database of comparable contracts, a precise comparison is difficult. However, for specialized technical consulting services, this value appears substantial, suggesting a significant scope of work or a high level of expertise required. It's important to consider if this value is commensurate with the duration and complexity of the services outlined in the task order.

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

Key risks could include the potential for the contractor to underperform, deliver subpar technical advice, or exceed budget if not managed tightly (though FFP mitigates financial risk). Another risk is the reliance on a single entity for specialized geophysical knowledge. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust performance monitoring by the Air Force, clear definition of deliverables and key performance indicators (KPIs), and potentially incorporating incentives or penalties tied to performance. The follow-on nature suggests that initial risks were managed in the previous iteration, but ongoing vigilance is necessary.

How effective has the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) been in leveraging external advisory services for its geophysical missions?

Evaluating the effectiveness of AFTAC's use of external advisory services requires analyzing the outcomes and impacts of these services on AFTAC's mission success. This would involve assessing whether the advice provided led to improved operational capabilities, cost savings, technological advancements, or better decision-making within AFTAC's geophysical programs. Data on the specific contributions of past advisory contracts, such as successful project completions or enhanced analytical capabilities attributed to contractor support, would be needed to gauge effectiveness.

What are the historical spending patterns for geophysical advisory services within the Department of Defense over the last five years?

Analyzing historical spending patterns for geophysical advisory services within the DoD over the last five years would involve querying federal procurement databases (like USASpending.gov) for contracts categorized under relevant NAICS codes (e.g., 541690, 541360 - Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services) and keywords related to geophysics and advisory services. This would reveal trends in spending, identify major awarding agencies and contractors, and indicate whether spending in this niche area has been increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable, providing context for the current $21.1 million award.

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: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1135 W NASA BLVD SUITE 100, MELBOURNE, FL, 32901

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $33,146,825

Exercised Options: $21,068,042

Current Obligation: $21,068,042

Actual Outlays: $3,028,419

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: FA702221D0002

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline