HHS awarded $16.3M for refugee resettlement program support, with General Dynamics IT managing the contract

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $16,319,255 ($16.3M)

Contractor: General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2010-09-22

End Date: 2014-03-21

Contract Duration: 1,276 days

Daily Burn Rate: $12.8K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: TAS::75 1503::TAS ENHANCED MONITORING CAPACITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (ORR) PROGRAMS

Place of Performance

Location: FAIRFAX, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22030

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $16.3 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC. for work described as: TAS::75 1503::TAS ENHANCED MONITORING CAPACITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (ORR) PROGRAMS Key points: 1. The contract focused on administrative management and consulting services, indicating a need for specialized expertise in program oversight. 2. A single delivery order was issued under this contract, suggesting a specific, defined scope of work. 3. The contract duration of over three years allowed for sustained support to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). 4. The use of Time and Materials pricing suggests that the exact scope and effort were not fully defined at the outset. 5. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, implying a broad search for qualified contractors. 6. The vendor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc., is a large, established government contractor.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $16.3 million over approximately three years for administrative management and technical assistance for refugee resettlement programs appears reasonable given the scope. Benchmarking against similar contracts for program management and consulting services within HHS or other agencies would provide a more precise value assessment. However, the duration and the nature of the services suggest a significant undertaking requiring substantial resources. The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing model, while offering flexibility, can sometimes lead to higher costs if not managed tightly, but it is common for services where the exact effort is difficult to predict.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that the government sought proposals from all responsible sources. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the designation suggests a competitive process was initiated. This approach is generally favored to ensure the government receives the best value by considering a wide range of potential contractors and their offerings. The competition level is expected to drive more favorable pricing and service quality.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from full and open competition through potentially lower prices and higher quality services as contractors vie for the award. It ensures that public funds are used efficiently by preventing sole-source awards that might otherwise lack price pressure.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries of this contract are the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) programs, which receive enhanced monitoring and technical assistance. The services delivered include administrative management and general management consulting, crucial for the effective operation of complex federal programs. The geographic impact is national, as ORR programs serve refugees across the United States. The contract supports the federal workforce involved in managing and overseeing refugee resettlement efforts.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

The Time and Materials (T&M) contract type can lead to cost overruns if not closely monitored, as the final cost is dependent on the hours worked and material costs incurred.
Lack of specific bidder count makes it difficult to assess the true competitiveness of the award beyond the 'full and open' designation.
The 'Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services' NAICS code is broad, making direct cost comparisons challenging without deeper service detail.

Positive Signals

Awarded under 'full and open competition,' suggesting a robust process to identify the best value.
The contract duration of over three years allowed for continuity of essential services for ORR programs.
General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. is a large, experienced contractor with a significant presence in the federal IT and services market.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically administrative and management consulting. This sector is a significant component of federal spending, supporting a wide array of government functions. The market for such services is competitive, with numerous large and small businesses offering expertise. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve analyzing contracts for program management, technical assistance, and administrative support across various federal agencies, particularly those dealing with social services or refugee affairs.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). As a large contract awarded to a major prime contractor, General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc., there may be opportunities for small businesses to participate as subcontractors. However, without specific subcontracting plans or data, the extent of small business involvement cannot be determined from this record alone. The absence of a small business set-aside suggests the competition was aimed at securing the broadest possible range of capabilities, potentially favoring larger firms.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the contracting agency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and its respective contracting officers and program managers. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) likely played a key role. Transparency is facilitated through contract databases like FPDS, which provide basic award details. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse related to the contract were suspected or identified.

Related Government Programs

Refugee Assistance Programs
Federal Program Management Support
Technical Assistance Contracts
Administrative Services Contracts
Department of Health and Human Services Contracts

Risk Flags

Time and Materials pricing model requires close monitoring to prevent cost overruns.
Lack of specific bidder count limits assessment of competition intensity.
Broad NAICS code may obscure specific service costs and comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $16.3 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.. TAS::75 1503::TAS ENHANCED MONITORING CAPACITY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (ORR) PROGRAMS

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $16.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2010-09-22. End: 2014-03-21.

What was the specific nature of the 'enhanced monitoring capacity and technical assistance' provided under this contract?

The contract data indicates the NAICS code is 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services). This suggests the services likely involved providing expertise to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) programs. 'Enhanced monitoring capacity' could refer to developing or implementing better systems for tracking program performance, financial expenditures, and client outcomes. 'Technical assistance' might include training for ORR staff or its grantees, developing best practices, advising on policy implementation, or troubleshooting operational challenges. Without access to the specific Statement of Work (SOW) or task orders, the precise details remain general, but the focus was on supporting the administrative and managerial aspects of ORR's mission.

How does the $16.3 million award compare to typical spending on similar administrative support for refugee programs?

Directly comparing the $16.3 million award requires access to detailed spending data for comparable refugee resettlement programs across different administrations or agencies. However, considering the contract duration of approximately 3.3 years (1276 days), the average annual spending was roughly $4.9 million. This figure needs to be contextualized by the scale and complexity of the ORR programs managed by HHS. Refugee resettlement involves significant logistical, financial, and social service coordination. A $4.9 million annual investment in administrative and technical support for such a critical national program is plausible, especially when provided by a large, experienced contractor like General Dynamics Information Technology. Further analysis would involve benchmarking against contracts for program oversight and management in related social service or immigration-related federal initiatives.

What are the potential risks associated with a Time and Materials (T&M) contract for these services?

Time and Materials (T&M) contracts, like the one used here, carry inherent risks primarily related to cost control. Because the final price is determined by the actual labor hours and material costs incurred, there is less upfront certainty on the total expenditure compared to fixed-price contracts. If not managed diligently, contractors may have less incentive to control labor hours or material usage, potentially leading to cost overruns. For the government, effective oversight is crucial. This includes rigorous tracking of hours, validation of material costs, and ensuring that the work performed aligns with the contract's objectives. The risk is that the flexibility offered by T&M, beneficial for undefined scopes, could be exploited if oversight is weak, resulting in higher costs for taxpayers than initially anticipated.

What is General Dynamics Information Technology's track record with HHS or similar agencies?

General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. (GDIT) is a major federal contractor with a substantial history of providing IT and professional services across numerous government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). GDIT has held numerous contracts with HHS, covering a wide range of services from health IT modernization and data analytics to administrative support and mission-critical systems. Their experience often includes managing large, complex programs similar to the one supporting ORR. While specific performance metrics for this particular contract (TAS ENHANCED MONITORING CAPACITY) are not detailed in the provided data, GDIT's overall profile suggests they possess the scale, resources, and experience typically required for such engagements. Agencies often award contracts to GDIT based on their established capabilities and past performance on similar federal initiatives.

How has federal spending on refugee resettlement program support evolved over time?

The provided data pertains to a single contract awarded in 2010. To understand the evolution of federal spending on refugee resettlement program support, a broader analysis of historical budgets and contract awards related to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and similar programs would be necessary. Factors influencing this spending include geopolitical events leading to refugee crises, changes in immigration policy, domestic economic conditions, and congressional appropriations. Historically, funding for refugee resettlement has fluctuated significantly based on global events and national priorities. Analyzing trends would involve examining annual budget requests, appropriations bills, and aggregated contract spending data from sources like the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) over multiple fiscal years.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: General Dynamics Corporation

Address: 3211 JERMANTOWN RD, FAIRFAX, VA, 22030

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $16,319,255

Exercised Options: $16,319,255

Current Obligation: $16,319,255

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS23F8049H

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline