Interior Department's $11.1M IT Support Contract Awarded to G&B Solutions, Inc. for Computer Systems Design

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $11,115,094 ($11.1M)

Contractor: G&B Solutions, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2006-04-01

End Date: 2008-09-30

Contract Duration: 913 days

Daily Burn Rate: $12.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 5

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: IT SUPPORT SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: DENVER, DENVER County, COLORADO, 80201

State: Colorado Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $11.1 million to G&B SOLUTIONS, INC. for work described as: IT SUPPORT SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. The contract duration of 913 days indicates a medium-term need for IT support services. 3. The fixed-price contract type aims to control costs by establishing a set price for services. 4. The award was made to G&B Solutions, Inc., a single contractor. 5. The contract falls under the 'Computer Systems Design Services' category, a common IT procurement area. 6. The 'Departmental Offices' sub-agency indicates broad applicability within the Interior Department.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this $11.1 million contract requires more detailed cost breakdowns and comparisons to similar IT support services contracts awarded around the 2006-2008 period. Without specific performance metrics or a detailed scope of work, it's challenging to definitively assess value for money. However, the firm fixed-price structure suggests an attempt to manage costs upfront. The number of bids received (5) provides a baseline for competition, but the ultimate price paid relative to market rates is not immediately apparent from the provided data.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under 'Full and Open Competition After Exclusion of Sources,' which implies that while the competition was open, certain sources were initially excluded before the final bidding process. Five bids were received, indicating a moderate level of competition. The open nature of the competition is generally positive for price discovery, as it allows multiple vendors to propose solutions and pricing, theoretically driving down costs for the government.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive bidding process like this generally benefits taxpayers by encouraging lower prices and better service offerings from contractors vying for the award.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the various offices within the Department of the Interior, which receive essential IT support services. Services delivered include computer systems design, likely encompassing network management, hardware/software support, and potentially system integration. The geographic impact is likely nationwide, supporting the distributed operations of the Department of the Interior. Workforce implications may include the need for skilled IT professionals employed by G&B Solutions, Inc. to fulfill the contract requirements.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of detailed performance metrics makes it difficult to assess the quality and effectiveness of the IT support provided.
The 'After Exclusion of Sources' clause in the competition type warrants further investigation into the rationale for excluding certain potential bidders.
Without a clear breakdown of costs, it's hard to determine if the $11.1 million represents a fair market price for the services rendered over the contract period.

Positive Signals

The contract was awarded through a full and open competition, indicating an effort to maximize vendor participation.
The firm fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.
The award to G&B Solutions, Inc. suggests they met the technical and financial requirements outlined in the solicitation.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Information Technology (IT) sector, specifically focusing on computer systems design and related support services. The IT services market is vast and highly competitive, with government contracts often representing a significant portion of revenue for many firms. The NAICS code 541512 ('Computer Systems Design Services') is a common classification for such procurements. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve analyzing other IT support contracts awarded by federal agencies of similar size and scope during the same period.

Small Business Impact

The provided data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there are no direct subcontracting implications or specific benefits for the small business ecosystem stemming from a small business set-aside. The award was made to G&B Solutions, Inc., and further analysis would be needed to determine if they are a large or small business and their own subcontracting plans.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the contracting officer and program managers within the Department of the Interior's Departmental Offices. 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 by the contract award data being publicly available, though detailed performance reports and audits would likely reside within the agency and may not be fully public.

Related Government Programs

IT Services
Computer Systems Design
Department of the Interior IT Procurement
Federal IT Support Contracts

Risk Flags

Potential for uncompetitive pricing due to 'Exclusion of Sources' clause
Lack of performance data hinders value assessment
Scope of work details are missing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $11.1 million to G&B SOLUTIONS, INC.. IT SUPPORT SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is G&B SOLUTIONS, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (Departmental Offices).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $11.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2006-04-01. End: 2008-09-30.

What was the specific scope of work for the IT support services provided under this contract?

The provided data indicates the contract falls under NAICS code 541512, 'Computer Systems Design Services.' This typically encompasses a range of activities such as designing, developing, and implementing software and hardware solutions, network integration, IT consulting, and potentially IT infrastructure management. However, the precise scope of work for this specific $11.1 million contract with G&B Solutions, Inc. is not detailed in the provided summary. A thorough review of the contract's Statement of Work (SOW) would be necessary to understand the exact services required, deliverables, and performance standards.

How did G&B Solutions, Inc.'s pricing compare to other bidders and market rates at the time of award?

The data indicates that five bids were received for this contract. While this suggests competition, it does not provide information on the specific pricing proposed by each bidder or how G&B Solutions, Inc.'s final price compared to those of its competitors. To assess value for money, a comparison of G&B Solutions, Inc.'s proposed price against the independent government cost estimate (if available) and prevailing market rates for similar IT support services in 2006 would be necessary. Without this comparative pricing data, it is difficult to definitively state whether the $11.1 million award represented a competitive price.

What were the key performance indicators (KPIs) and how did G&B Solutions, Inc. perform against them?

The provided summary data does not include information on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) established for this contract or G&B Solutions, Inc.'s performance against them. Federal contracts, especially for IT support services, typically include specific metrics related to system uptime, response times for technical issues, project completion rates, and user satisfaction. Assessing the contractor's performance would require access to contract performance reports, quality assurance surveillance plans (QASPs), and any associated award-fee determinations or penalties. The absence of this data limits the ability to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of the services rendered.

What is the historical spending pattern for IT support services within the Department of the Interior's Departmental Offices?

Analyzing the historical spending patterns for IT support services within the Department of the Interior's Departmental Offices requires accessing broader contract databases and budget information beyond this single award. This specific contract, valued at $11.1 million over approximately 2.5 years (913 days), represents a portion of the department's overall IT expenditure. To understand trends, one would need to examine spending on similar services (NAICS 541512) over multiple fiscal years, identify major contract vehicles, and track the number and value of awards to different contractors. This context would help determine if this contract was typical, an outlier, or part of a larger strategic IT investment.

Were there any specific risks identified during the procurement or performance phases of this contract?

The provided summary data does not explicitly list any risks identified during the procurement or performance phases of this contract. However, common risks associated with IT support services contracts include potential cost overruns (though mitigated by fixed-price), schedule delays, performance deficiencies, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and contractor personnel issues. The 'After Exclusion of Sources' clause in the competition type might suggest potential risks or specific requirements that led to the exclusion of certain vendors. A deeper dive into agency procurement files or Inspector General reports could reveal specific risk assessments.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Computer Systems Design Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: NBCD6Z00394

Offers Received: 5

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: VSE Corporation (UEI: 049997380)

Address: 1749 OLD MADOW RD STE 120, MC LEAN, VA, 90

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Black American Owned Business, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Special Designations, Woman Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $37,500,000

Exercised Options: $16,221,094

Current Obligation: $11,115,094

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: INDNBCD06004

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline