DHS awards $16.9M contract for intelligence support, highlighting staff capability gaps

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $16,900,769 ($16.9M)

Contractor: Touchstone Consulting Group, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2007-08-31

End Date: 2011-06-30

Contract Duration: 1,399 days

Daily Burn Rate: $12.1K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Sector: Other

Official Description: INTEL WORKLOAD IN FIELD INTEL OFFICES IS BEYOND CURRENT STAFF CAPABILITIES&REQUIRES USE OF CONTRACT INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN FIU'S TO PROVIDE COLLECTION ANALYSIS AND AND OTHER INTEL SUPPORT.

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20536

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $16.9 million to TOUCHSTONE CONSULTING GROUP, INC. for work described as: INTEL WORKLOAD IN FIELD INTEL OFFICES IS BEYOND CURRENT STAFF CAPABILITIES&REQUIRES USE OF CONTRACT INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN FIU'S TO PROVIDE COLLECTION ANALYSIS AND AND OTHER INTEL SUPPORT. Key points: 1. Contract addresses critical intelligence analysis and collection support needs. 2. Utilizes contract intelligence officers to supplement federal staff capabilities. 3. Focuses on administrative and management consulting services. 4. Long-term contract duration of nearly four years. 5. Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting market availability of services. 6. Geographically concentrated in the District of Columbia.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $16.9 million over approximately four years suggests a moderate annual spend. Benchmarking this against similar intelligence support contracts is difficult without more specific service details. However, the need for external intelligence officers implies that internal staffing or capabilities are insufficient, which could indicate a higher cost than an in-house solution might provide if scaled appropriately. The pricing structure and specific services rendered would be key to a more definitive value assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded through full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors were likely solicited and had the opportunity to bid. This process generally promotes price discovery and allows the government to select from a range of qualified offerors. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the competition type suggests a healthy market for these intelligence support services.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is generally favorable for taxpayers as it tends to drive down prices through market forces and ensures the government receives competitive offers for its needs.

Public Impact

Benefits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by augmenting intelligence analysis capabilities. Provides essential intelligence support to field offices, enhancing operational effectiveness. Services are concentrated in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Supports a workforce of contract intelligence officers, indirectly impacting the federal intelligence community.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Reliance on external contractors for core intelligence functions may indicate long-term understaffing or skill gaps within the agency.
The extended duration of the contract (nearly 4 years) could suggest a persistent need that might be better addressed through permanent hiring.
Limited transparency on specific performance metrics and outcomes for the intelligence support provided.

Positive Signals

Awarded via full and open competition, ensuring a competitive process and access to qualified vendors.
Addresses a clearly stated operational need for enhanced intelligence analysis and collection support.
The contract provides necessary resources to overcome current staff limitations in critical intelligence functions.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically management consulting. The market for intelligence support services is specialized, often involving firms with deep security clearances and expertise. While specific market size data for contract intelligence officers is not readily available, the broader federal consulting market is substantial, with significant spending allocated to support functions across various agencies, particularly those involved in national security and law enforcement.

Small Business Impact

Information regarding small business participation, set-asides, or subcontracting plans is not detailed in the provided data. As this was a full and open competition, it does not inherently exclude small businesses, but there is no explicit indication of their involvement or benefit from this specific award.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight would typically be managed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contracting and program officials. Accountability measures would be defined in the contract's statement of work and performance standards. Transparency is limited by the nature of intelligence work, but standard federal procurement regulations and reporting requirements would apply.

Related Government Programs

Federal Intelligence Support Services
Management and General Management Consulting Services
Department of Homeland Security Contracts
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Operations

Risk Flags

Potential long-term reliance on contractors for core functions.
Lack of specific performance metrics in summary data.
Limited insight into the competitive landscape beyond 'full and open'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $16.9 million to TOUCHSTONE CONSULTING GROUP, INC.. INTEL WORKLOAD IN FIELD INTEL OFFICES IS BEYOND CURRENT STAFF CAPABILITIES&REQUIRES USE OF CONTRACT INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN FIU'S TO PROVIDE COLLECTION ANALYSIS AND AND OTHER INTEL SUPPORT.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is TOUCHSTONE CONSULTING GROUP, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $16.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2007-08-31. End: 2011-06-30.

What specific intelligence analysis and collection tasks are performed by the contract intelligence officers?

The provided data indicates that contract intelligence officers are used to 'provide collection analysis and other intel support' because 'intellectual workload in field intel offices is beyond current staff capabilities.' This suggests tasks include processing raw intelligence data, identifying trends and patterns, generating analytical reports, and potentially assisting in the planning and execution of intelligence collection activities. The specific nature of these tasks would be detailed in the contract's Statement of Work (SOW), which is not publicly available. However, given the context of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), these tasks likely relate to border security, counter-terrorism, immigration enforcement, and transnational criminal activity.

How does the cost of using contract intelligence officers compare to hiring federal employees for similar roles?

Direct cost comparison is challenging without detailed data on the specific salaries, benefits, overhead, and training costs for federal intelligence analysts versus the fully burdened rates for contract intelligence officers. However, contracts often include overhead, profit margins, and potentially higher loaded rates than direct federal salaries. The rationale for using contractors, as stated, is to address immediate capability gaps beyond current staff. This suggests that, in the short term, contracting may be faster and more flexible than the lengthy federal hiring process. Over the long term, if the need is persistent, building internal capacity through federal hiring might prove more cost-effective and provide greater institutional knowledge retention.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the effectiveness of the contract intelligence support?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract. Typically, for intelligence support services, KPIs might include metrics related to the timeliness of analysis, the accuracy and actionable nature of intelligence reports, the number of intelligence leads generated or corroborated, the successful support provided to operational missions, and adherence to security protocols. These KPIs would be defined in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) and monitored by the government's Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) to ensure the contractor meets the required service levels and delivers value.

What is the historical spending trend for intelligence support services within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

The provided data only details a single contract award of $16.9 million for intelligence support services to Touchstone Consulting Group, Inc., spanning from August 2007 to June 2011. To understand historical spending trends, a broader analysis of ICE's procurement history for similar services (e.g., intelligence analysis, collection support, consulting) across multiple contract vehicles and fiscal years would be necessary. This would involve querying federal procurement databases like FPDS or USASpending for all relevant contracts awarded by ICE in the 'Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services' (NAICS 541611) or related categories over a significant period.

What is the track record of Touchstone Consulting Group, Inc. in performing similar intelligence support contracts for federal agencies?

The provided data identifies Touchstone Consulting Group, Inc. as the contractor for this $16.9 million award. To assess their track record, one would need to examine their past performance on similar contracts, particularly those involving intelligence analysis, collection support, and consulting for agencies like DHS or other intelligence community members. This involves reviewing contract databases for previous awards to Touchstone, looking at contract values, durations, performance reviews (if available), and any documented issues or successes. A positive track record would indicate a lower performance risk for this specific contract.

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: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Sterling Parent Inc. (UEI: 968838909)

Address: 1920 N STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC, 20036

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $16,900,769

Exercised Options: $16,900,769

Current Obligation: $16,900,769

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS10F06LPA0010

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline