DoD's $40M contract for depot maintenance scheduling system sustainment awarded to Robbins-Gioia, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $39,992,212 ($40.0M)

Contractor: Robbins-Gioia, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2020-02-01

End Date: 2025-08-15

Contract Duration: 2,022 days

Daily Burn Rate: $19.8K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: PROGRAMMED DEPOT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING SYSTEM SUSTAINMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: ALEXANDRIA, ALEXANDRIA CITY County, VIRGINIA, 22314

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $40.0 million to ROBBINS-GIOIA, LLC for work described as: PROGRAMMED DEPOT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING SYSTEM SUSTAINMENT SUPPORT SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract awarded on a sole-source basis, raising questions about potential price overruns and limited market engagement. 2. The contract duration extends over five years, indicating a long-term reliance on the incumbent contractor. 3. The fixed-price contract type suggests a degree of cost certainty, but the lack of competition could still lead to suboptimal pricing. 4. The services provided are critical for Air Force depot operations, highlighting the importance of reliable sustainment. 5. The contractor, Robbins-Gioia, LLC, has a history with this specific system, suggesting specialized knowledge. 6. The absence of small business set-asides means opportunities for smaller firms in this specialized IT service area are limited.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this $40 million contract is challenging due to its sole-source nature and the specific, niche requirements of the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System. Without competitive bids, it's difficult to ascertain if the pricing reflects market rates or if there's an opportunity for cost savings. The firm fixed-price structure provides some cost control, but the lack of competition prevents a direct comparison to similar sustainment contracts in the federal IT landscape. Further analysis would require access to detailed cost breakdowns and performance metrics.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not competed among multiple vendors. This approach is typically justified when a specific contractor possesses unique capabilities or when the requirement is a continuation of existing services where switching vendors would be impractical or excessively costly. The lack of competition limits the government's ability to leverage market forces to drive down prices and ensure the best possible value. It also means that only one bidder, Robbins-Gioia, LLC, was considered.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be paying a premium for this service due to the absence of competitive bidding. The government cannot be assured it is receiving the most cost-effective solution available in the market.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the Department of the Air Force, ensuring the continued operation and maintenance of critical depot scheduling systems. Services delivered include sustainment support, ensuring the reliability and functionality of the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System. The geographic impact is primarily within Air Force depot facilities nationwide that rely on this system for operational planning. Workforce implications include the continued employment of personnel at Robbins-Gioia, LLC who possess specialized knowledge of the system.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

  • Sole-source award limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers.
  • Long contract duration without competition may reduce incentives for innovation and efficiency improvements.
  • Lack of transparency in the sole-source justification process could mask underlying issues.
  • Dependence on a single contractor for critical IT sustainment poses a risk if performance degrades or the contractor faces financial instability.

Positive Signals

  • Firm fixed-price contract provides cost certainty for the government.
  • Incumbent contractor likely possesses deep institutional knowledge of the system, ensuring continuity of operations.
  • Sustainment support ensures the critical depot maintenance scheduling system remains functional and reliable.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically custom computer programming and sustainment support. The federal IT services market is vast, with significant spending on software development, maintenance, and support for mission-critical systems. Contracts for specialized sustainment, particularly for legacy or unique government systems like depot maintenance schedulers, often face limited competition due to the high barrier to entry and specialized knowledge required. Comparable spending benchmarks are difficult to establish without more granular data on system complexity and service scope.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to include any small business set-asides, nor is there information suggesting subcontracting opportunities for small businesses. The sole-source nature of the award further limits the potential for small business participation. This means that the primary contract value flows to the large business incumbent, potentially bypassing the small business ecosystem that could otherwise contribute to specialized IT sustainment services.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the contracting officer and the program office within the Department of the Air Force. Accountability measures would be defined in the contract's performance work statement and terms. Transparency is limited due to the sole-source award, with less public visibility into the justification and negotiation process. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected.

Related Government Programs

  • Defense Logistics Agency IT Support
  • Air Force Software Development Contracts
  • Government IT Sustainment Services
  • Mission Critical System Maintenance
  • Program Management Software

Risk Flags

  • Sole-source award raises concerns about competition and potential overpricing.
  • Lack of transparency in the sole-source justification.
  • Long-term reliance on a single vendor for critical IT infrastructure.

Tags

it-services, defense, department-of-defense, department-of-the-air-force, definitive-contract, firm-fixed-price, sole-source, custom-computer-programming, software-sustainment, depot-maintenance, virginia, large-business

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $40.0 million to ROBBINS-GIOIA, LLC. PROGRAMMED DEPOT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING SYSTEM SUSTAINMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ROBBINS-GIOIA, LLC.

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 $40.0 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-02-01. End: 2025-08-15.

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

The provided data indicates the contract was 'NOT COMPETED' and awarded as a 'DEFINITIVE CONTRACT' to Robbins-Gioia, LLC. While the specific justification is not detailed in the provided data, sole-source awards are typically made when a unique capability is required, the item is only available from a single source, or in cases of urgent need where competition is not feasible. For IT sustainment contracts, this often relates to proprietary software, deep institutional knowledge of a complex legacy system, or the prohibitive cost and time associated with transitioning to a new vendor. A full justification would typically be documented by the agency and may be subject to review.

How does the $40 million contract value compare to similar IT sustainment contracts for depot maintenance systems?

Direct comparison of the $40 million contract value for the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System sustainment is challenging without more specific data on the scope of services, system complexity, and the number of users or facilities supported. However, federal IT sustainment contracts can range widely in cost. Given this is a sole-source award for a critical system within the Department of Defense, the value is plausible, but the lack of competition prevents a definitive assessment of whether it represents optimal value for money. Benchmarking would ideally involve comparing it to other sole-source sustainment contracts for similarly critical, specialized systems, or to the cost of developing and maintaining such a system internally.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or service level agreements (SLAs) associated with this contract?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for this contract. Typically, for IT sustainment services, KPIs would focus on system uptime, response times for issue resolution, patch deployment success rates, and user satisfaction. SLAs would define the acceptable levels for these metrics and potential remedies or penalties if they are not met. These details are usually outlined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW) within the contract documentation, which is not included in the provided summary data.

What is Robbins-Gioia, LLC's track record with the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System?

Robbins-Gioia, LLC has been awarded this contract, which is for the sustainment support services of the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System. The fact that they are the incumbent and have received this follow-on or extended contract suggests they have a history and established relationship with this specific system. While the data doesn't detail past performance reviews or specific project successes, their continued selection, even on a sole-source basis, implies a level of capability and satisfaction with their services related to this system from the Department of the Air Force.

What is the historical spending trend for this specific system or similar sustainment services within the Air Force?

The provided data includes the contract award amount ($40,002,212.39) and duration (February 1, 2020, to August 15, 2025), indicating a total spend over approximately 5.5 years. The 'dur' field shows '2022', which might represent a previous year's spending or a specific period of interest. Without historical contract data for this specific system prior to this award, or data on comparable systems, it's impossible to establish a spending trend. Analyzing past awards for the Programmed Depot Maintenance Scheduling System or similar depot management software sustainment within the Air Force would be necessary to identify trends in spending, contract types, and competition levels.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesComputer Systems Design and Related ServicesCustom Computer Programming Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONSADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: FA877020R0509

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 99 CANAL CTR PLZ STE 300, ALEXANDRIA, VA, 22314

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $64,534,475

Exercised Options: $40,853,959

Current Obligation: $39,992,212

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Timeline

Start Date: 2020-02-01

Current End Date: 2025-08-15

Potential End Date: 2025-08-15 00:00:00

Last Modified: 2025-07-31

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