NIH awards $314K for internet services, highlighting a competitive landscape with 5 bidders

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $314,450 ($314.4K)

Contractor: Coast2coast Shredding LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2015-04-08

End Date: 2020-04-30

Contract Duration: 1,849 days

Daily Burn Rate: $170/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 5

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: IGF::CL::IGF COAST TO COAST COMPUTER PRODUCTS, INC:1172653 [15-009071]

Place of Performance

Location: BETHESDA, MONTGOMERY County, MARYLAND, 20892

State: Maryland Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $314,450 to COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC for work described as: IGF::CL::IGF COAST TO COAST COMPUTER PRODUCTS, INC:1172653 [15-009071] Key points: 1. Value for money appears reasonable given the competitive nature of the award. 2. Strong competition dynamics were observed with five bidders vying for the contract. 3. No immediate risk indicators are apparent from the provided data. 4. Performance context is limited to the provision of internet services. 5. This contract falls within the IT sector, specifically internet service provision.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $314,450 over approximately five years suggests a moderate annual spend. Benchmarking against similar contracts for internet services at federal agencies of this size would provide a clearer picture of value. However, the presence of multiple bidders indicates a degree of market price discovery, which generally supports fair pricing.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, with five distinct bidders participating. This level of competition is generally favorable as it encourages multiple vendors to offer their best pricing and service terms to secure the award. The presence of five bidders suggests a healthy market for these services.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive bidding process like this one is beneficial for taxpayers as it helps ensure the government is not overpaying for essential services and receives competitive market rates.

Public Impact

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) benefits from reliable internet service provision. Essential internet connectivity services are delivered to support NIH operations. The geographic impact is primarily within Maryland, where the contract is managed. Workforce implications are indirect, supporting the operational needs of NIH staff.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, indicating broad market access.
Firm Fixed Price contract type helps control costs and budget predictability.
Contract duration of nearly five years provides stability for service delivery.

Sector Analysis

The Information Technology sector, specifically internet service providers (ISPs), is a critical component of federal operations. Agencies rely heavily on robust and secure internet connectivity for communication, data transfer, and access to cloud-based resources. Spending in this area can vary significantly based on bandwidth requirements, geographic reach, and service level agreements. This contract for NIH falls within the standard operational spending for IT infrastructure.

Small Business Impact

The provided data does not indicate any specific small business set-aside provisions for this contract, nor does it mention subcontracting plans. The award was made to COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC, and further analysis would be needed to determine if they are a small business or if they engage small businesses in their subcontracting efforts. Without this information, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem remains unclear.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the purview of the National Institutes of Health contracting officers and program managers. Standard procurement regulations and contract administration processes would be in place to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions. Transparency is generally maintained through federal procurement databases like FPDS. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of suspected fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Federal Information Technology Contracts
Internet Service Provider Contracts
National Institutes of Health Procurement
Department of Health and Human Services Contracts

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $314,450 to COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC. IGF::CL::IGF COAST TO COAST COMPUTER PRODUCTS, INC:1172653 [15-009071]

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $314,450.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2015-04-08. End: 2020-04-30.

What is the track record of COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC with federal contracts?

Information regarding COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC's specific track record with federal contracts is limited based solely on the provided data. The data indicates this specific award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for internet services. To fully assess their track record, a deeper dive into federal procurement databases (like FPDS-NG) would be necessary to identify all contracts awarded to this entity, their performance history on those contracts, any past performance issues or awards, and their overall experience across different agencies and service types. Without this broader context, it's difficult to gauge their reliability and expertise beyond this single NIH award.

How does the awarded price compare to market rates for similar internet services?

The provided data does not include specific details about the service level agreements, bandwidth, or geographic coverage required for this contract, making a direct comparison to market rates challenging. The total award of $314,450 over approximately five years equates to an average annual cost of roughly $62,890. Given that this was awarded under full and open competition with five bidders, it suggests the price is likely competitive within the market for the specific services rendered. However, without detailed service specifications, it's impossible to definitively benchmark against industry standards or other government contracts for comparable services.

Are there any identified risks associated with this contract or contractor?

Based on the limited data provided, there are no explicit risk flags associated with this contract or the contractor, COAST2COAST SHREDDING LLC. The contract was awarded through full and open competition, which generally mitigates risks related to price and vendor selection. The contract type is Firm Fixed Price, which helps in cost control and budget predictability. However, a comprehensive risk assessment would require further investigation into the contractor's past performance, financial stability, cybersecurity posture (especially relevant for an ISP), and the criticality of the services provided to NIH operations.

What is the overall effectiveness of this contract in meeting NIH's internet service needs?

The effectiveness of this contract in meeting NIH's internet service needs cannot be fully determined from the provided data alone. The contract was awarded for internet services, a fundamental requirement for modern agency operations. The fact that it was awarded competitively and has a defined duration suggests a structured approach to fulfilling this need. However, assessing effectiveness would require performance metrics, user feedback, service uptime reports, and confirmation that the services delivered align with NIH's operational requirements and service level agreements. Without these performance indicators, effectiveness remains an assumption based on the procurement process.

How does this contract's spending compare to historical NIH spending on internet services?

The provided data offers a single data point for this specific contract ($314,450 awarded in 2015). To compare this to historical NIH spending on internet services, one would need access to historical procurement data for NIH over multiple fiscal years. This would involve aggregating spending on similar North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes (like 518111 for Internet Service Providers) or Product Service Codes (PSCs) related to telecommunications and internet access. Without that historical data, it's impossible to determine if this contract represents an increase, decrease, or stable level of spending for NIH in this category.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Internet Service Providers and Web Search Portals › Internet Service Providers

Product/Service Code: UTILITIES AND HOUSEKEEPING › HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 5

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1248 GILBERT RD, JENKINTOWN, PA, 19046

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $454,850

Exercised Options: $314,450

Current Obligation: $314,450

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS25F0040R

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline