GSA's $26.5M Student Information System contract awarded to MYTHICS, LLC, faced full and open competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $26,475,026 ($26.5M)

Contractor: Mythics, LLC

Awarding Agency: General Services Administration

Start Date: 2017-09-29

End Date: 2020-12-27

Contract Duration: 1,185 days

Daily Burn Rate: $22.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACQUISITION

Place of Performance

Location: USAF ACADEMY, EL PASO County, COLORADO, 80840

State: Colorado Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

General Services Administration obligated $26.5 million to MYTHICS, LLC for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACQUISITION Key points: 1. The contract achieved a competitive award, suggesting potential for favorable pricing. 2. The firm-fixed-price structure shifts performance risk to the contractor. 3. A 3-year duration indicates a moderate-term engagement for software services. 4. The award was made under the Federal Acquisition Service, a common procurement channel. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 511210 points to software publishers. 6. The contract was not set aside for small businesses.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract's total value of $26.5 million over approximately three years appears reasonable for a federal student information system acquisition. Benchmarking against similar large-scale IT system procurements for federal agencies, this value falls within expected ranges, especially considering the scope of software development, implementation, and support. The firm-fixed-price contract type suggests that the contractor bears the primary financial risk, which can be advantageous for the government if the project is well-defined. Without specific details on the system's functionalities and user base, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging, but the competitive award process provides a positive signal.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under a full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit offers. The presence of 6 bidders suggests a healthy level of competition for this requirement. A competitive process like this generally leads to better price discovery and allows the government to select the offer that provides the best overall value, considering both technical approach and cost. The number of bidders implies that the market was sufficiently aware of and interested in the opportunity.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition with multiple bidders is beneficial for taxpayers as it drives down prices and encourages innovation, ensuring federal funds are used efficiently.

Public Impact

Federal agencies, likely within the education or student services sector, benefit from an updated student information system. The contract delivers software solutions and associated services to manage student data and administrative processes. The geographic impact is likely nationwide, supporting federal educational initiatives or data collection. Workforce implications may include IT professionals involved in software development, implementation, and maintenance.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if requirements are not tightly managed.
Dependence on a single contractor for critical student information system functionality.
Risk of vendor lock-in if data migration or system integration is complex.

Positive Signals

Competitive award process likely secured favorable pricing.
Firm-fixed-price contract shifts cost overrun risk to the contractor.
Clear contract end date provides an opportunity for re-competition or reassessment.

Sector Analysis

The federal IT sector, particularly software development and system integration, is a significant area of government spending. This contract falls under the Software Publishers (NAICS 511210) category, which encompasses companies that develop, publish, and distribute software. The market for student information systems is robust, serving educational institutions from K-12 to higher education, as well as government agencies involved in educational data management. Comparable spending benchmarks for large federal IT systems can range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on complexity and duration.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not awarded as a small business set-aside, nor does it indicate any specific subcontracting requirements for small businesses in the provided data. The award to MYTHICS, LLC, a company not explicitly identified as a small business in this context, suggests that the primary focus was on full and open competition. The absence of set-aside provisions means that small businesses would have had to compete directly with larger firms or participate as subcontractors.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service, which awarded the contract. Accountability measures are inherent in the firm-fixed-price contract type, requiring the contractor to deliver specified services within the agreed budget. Transparency is facilitated through federal contract databases where award details are published. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of suspected fraud, waste, or abuse related to the contract.

Related Government Programs

Federal Student Aid (FSA) IT Modernization
Department of Education IT Systems
General Services Administration (GSA) IT Procurement
Enterprise Software Solutions for Government

Risk Flags

Contract Duration
Vendor Lock-in Potential
Data Security and Privacy
System Integration Complexity

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

General Services Administration awarded $26.5 million to MYTHICS, LLC. IGF::OT::IGF STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM ACQUISITION

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is MYTHICS, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Federal Acquisition Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $26.5 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2017-09-29. End: 2020-12-27.

What specific functionalities does the Student Information System provide, and how do they align with federal educational data management needs?

The provided data does not detail the specific functionalities of the Student Information System acquired under this contract. However, typical federal student information systems are designed to manage a wide range of data, including student demographics, academic records, enrollment status, financial aid information, and compliance reporting. These systems are crucial for agencies like the Department of Education to track educational outcomes, administer financial aid programs, and ensure compliance with federal regulations. The acquisition likely aimed to modernize or replace an existing system to improve data accuracy, enhance reporting capabilities, and streamline administrative processes for federal educational initiatives or oversight.

How does the $26.5 million contract value compare to other federal student information system procurements?

The $26.5 million contract value for a three-year period (approximately $8.8 million annually) for a federal student information system appears to be within a moderate range for such procurements. Larger, more complex enterprise-wide systems for agencies like the Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs can easily exceed hundreds of millions of dollars. However, compared to smaller, agency-specific or program-specific student data management tools, this value suggests a significant system with broad applicability or advanced features. Without knowing the exact scope, number of users, and specific functionalities, a precise comparison is difficult, but it indicates a substantial investment in IT infrastructure for student data.

What is the track record of MYTHICS, LLC in delivering federal IT contracts, particularly student information systems?

The provided data indicates that MYTHICS, LLC was awarded this $26.5 million contract for a Student Information System. However, it does not offer details on the company's specific track record, past performance on similar projects, or its history with federal student information systems. To assess their track record, further investigation into their contract history with the federal government, client feedback, and performance reviews would be necessary. Understanding their experience with system integration, data security, and user support for educational platforms would be critical in evaluating their capability to successfully deliver on this contract.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of this Student Information System contract?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. Typically, for a Student Information System, KPIs would focus on system uptime and availability, data accuracy and integrity, user satisfaction, response times for support inquiries, successful data migration, and timely generation of required reports. Performance would likely be monitored through regular contractor reporting, user feedback mechanisms, and potentially independent government assessments. The firm-fixed-price nature of the contract implies that meeting defined performance standards is crucial for the contractor to receive full payment.

How has federal spending on student information systems evolved over the past five years, and does this contract represent a trend?

The provided data focuses solely on this specific contract and does not offer historical spending trends for federal student information systems. However, generally, federal spending on IT, including specialized systems like student information platforms, has been increasing as agencies modernize legacy systems and adopt cloud-based solutions. There's a continuous push for more integrated, secure, and data-driven systems to support educational policy and administration. This contract, awarded in 2017, likely reflects the ongoing effort to upgrade or implement robust systems to meet evolving federal requirements for managing student data and supporting educational programs.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Software Publishers › Software Publishers

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: ID08170025

Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4525 MAIN ST STE 1500, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, 23462

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $33,798,496

Exercised Options: $26,475,026

Current Obligation: $26,475,026

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS35F0153M

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline