New San Diego Courthouse Design Support Cost $15.9M, Awarded to Richard Meier & Partners Architects

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $15,892,999 ($15.9M)

Contractor: Richard Meier & Partners Architects, LLP

Awarding Agency: General Services Administration

Start Date: 2005-12-13

End Date: 2015-01-20

Contract Duration: 3,325 days

Daily Burn Rate: $4.8K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Construction

Official Description: PROJECT: NEW SAN DIEGO U.S. COURTHOUSE, SAN DIEGO, CA SCOPE: A/E DESIGN SUPPORT & OVERVIEW SERVICES FOR EXCAVATION/SHORING

Place of Performance

Location: SAN DIEGO, SAN DIEGO County, CALIFORNIA, 92101

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

General Services Administration obligated $15.9 million to RICHARD MEIER & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS, LLP for work described as: PROJECT: NEW SAN DIEGO U.S. COURTHOUSE, SAN DIEGO, CA SCOPE: A/E DESIGN SUPPORT & OVERVIEW SERVICES FOR EXCAVATION/SHORING Key points: 1. The contract for A/E design support and overview services for excavation/shoring at the New San Diego U.S. Courthouse was awarded for $15.9 million. 2. Richard Meier & Partners Architects, LLP secured the contract through full and open competition after exclusion of sources. 3. The project spanned from December 2005 to January 2015, with a duration of 3325 days. 4. The General Services Administration (GSA) awarded this contract under the Public Buildings Service. 5. The contract type was Firm Fixed Price, indicating a set cost for the services.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $15.9 million for A/E design support and overview services for excavation and shoring appears within a reasonable range for a federal courthouse project of this scale. Benchmarking against similar large-scale public building construction projects would provide a more precise assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded through 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources,' suggesting a competitive bidding process was utilized, which generally promotes price discovery. However, the specific exclusion of sources warrants further investigation to understand its impact on the final price.

Taxpayer Impact: The competitive bidding process aims to secure fair market value, minimizing unnecessary taxpayer expenditure. The final cost of $15.9 million represents the investment made for essential design support services.

Public Impact

Taxpayers funded the design support and oversight for a significant federal courthouse construction project. The project's long duration (over 9 years) suggests a complex and potentially evolving scope of work. The use of Firm Fixed Price contracts provides cost certainty for the government. The contract was awarded to a specific architectural firm, impacting the distribution of federal funds within the private sector.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for cost overruns due to long project duration.
Clarity on 'exclusion of sources' in competition needs review.
Scope creep risk given the extended timeline.

Positive Signals

Competitive award process.
Firm Fixed Price contract type.
Services essential for major federal infrastructure.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Commercial and Institutional Building Construction sector, specifically related to architectural and engineering design support for major public infrastructure. Spending benchmarks for similar large-scale federal building projects would typically range in the millions, depending on complexity and scale.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was awarded to Richard Meier & Partners Architects, LLP. There is no specific information provided regarding the involvement or subcontracting opportunities for small businesses on this particular project.

Oversight & Accountability

The General Services Administration's Public Buildings Service is responsible for overseeing federal building projects. Oversight would typically involve monitoring contract performance, ensuring adherence to design specifications, and managing project timelines and budgets to safeguard taxpayer funds.

Related Government Programs

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction
General Services Administration Contracting
Public Buildings Service Programs

Risk Flags

Long project duration may indicate potential for cost overruns.
Ambiguity in 'exclusion of sources' requires clarification.
Potential for scope creep over the 9+ year timeline.
Lack of small business participation data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

General Services Administration awarded $15.9 million to RICHARD MEIER & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS, LLP. PROJECT: NEW SAN DIEGO U.S. COURTHOUSE, SAN DIEGO, CA SCOPE: A/E DESIGN SUPPORT & OVERVIEW SERVICES FOR EXCAVATION/SHORING

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is RICHARD MEIER & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS, LLP.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Public Buildings Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $15.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2005-12-13. End: 2015-01-20.

What was the specific rationale for the 'exclusion of sources' in the full and open competition, and did it impact the final price?

The rationale for excluding certain sources in a 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' needs detailed examination. Typically, such exclusions are based on specific technical requirements, past performance issues, or national security concerns. Understanding the precise justification is crucial to assess whether it limited the competitive pool and potentially influenced the final negotiated price, ensuring the government received the best value.

How did the project's extended duration of over 9 years affect the overall cost and effectiveness of the design support services?

A project duration of over 9 years for design support and overview services can significantly impact costs through inflation, potential scope changes, and extended administrative overhead. It also raises questions about the initial project planning and the effectiveness of long-term oversight. While extended timelines can sometimes accommodate complex projects, they increase the risk of cost escalation and may necessitate contract modifications, potentially reducing the initial cost-effectiveness.

What is the benchmark cost for A/E design support and overview services for excavation/shoring on similar federal courthouse projects?

Establishing a precise benchmark for A/E design support and overview services for excavation/shoring on federal courthouses is challenging without detailed project specifics. However, costs for such specialized services typically range from 5-15% of the total construction cost, depending on complexity. For a project potentially in the hundreds of millions, this contract's $15.9 million value would need to be compared against similar projects' specific service scopes and durations.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Construction › Nonresidential Building Construction › Commercial and Institutional Building Construction

Product/Service Code: ARCHITECT/ENGINEER SERVICES › ARCH-ENG SVCS - GENERAL

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Meier Partners Architects LLP (UEI: 075231589)

Address: 1001 GAYLEY AVE STE 3, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $15,892,999

Exercised Options: $15,892,999

Current Obligation: $15,892,999

Timeline