Naval Research Laboratory contract for advanced technology development awarded to ITT Industries for over $120 million
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $27,960,217 ($28.0M)
Contractor: Peraton Inc.
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Date: 2005-11-21
End Date: 2011-08-31
Contract Duration: 2,109 days
Daily Burn Rate: $13.3K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: 200608!000084!1700!N00173!NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY !N0017306C2005 !A!N! !N! ! !20051121!20101130!120731484!120731484!001216845!N!ITT INDUSTRIES, INC !2560 HUNTINGTON AVE 200 !ALEXANDRIA !VA!22303!50000!001!11!WASHINGTON !DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA !D.C. !+000000276658!N!N!000024504629!AJ23!RDTE/MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCES - ADV TECH DEV !C9E!ALL OTHER SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT !000 !NOT DISCERNABLE !541710!E! !3! ! ! ! ! !99990909!B! ! !A! !A!N!U!2!001!B! !Z!N!Z! ! !N!C!N! ! ! !Z!Z!A!A!000!A!C!N! ! ! ! !1700!N00173!0001! !
Place of Performance
Location: HERNDON, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 20170
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Defense obligated $28.0 million to PERATON INC. for work described as: 200608!000084!1700!N00173!NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY !N0017306C2005 !A!N! !N! ! !20051121!20101130!120731484!120731484!001216845!N!ITT INDUSTRIES, INC !2560 HUNTINGTON AVE 200 !ALEXANDRIA !VA!22303!50000!001!11!WASHINGTON !DIST… Key points: 1. Contract value significantly exceeds initial estimates, indicating potential scope expansion or cost overruns. 2. Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a robust bidding process. 3. The contract's duration of over 5 years points to a long-term research and development effort. 4. Performance-based contract type (Cost Plus Fixed Fee) incentivizes contractor efficiency. 5. The specific NAICS code (541710) aligns with advanced R&D in physical, engineering, and life sciences. 6. The contract was awarded to a single entity, ITT Industries, for the entirety of the work.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The final award amount of $120,731,484 significantly exceeded the initial estimated value of $50,000. This substantial increase suggests either a considerable expansion in the scope of work or unforeseen cost escalations during the contract's performance period. Benchmarking against similar R&D contracts is challenging without more granular detail on the specific technologies developed. However, the magnitude of the increase warrants scrutiny regarding the initial cost estimation and subsequent change management processes.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple qualified bidders had the opportunity to submit proposals. The presence of competition is generally a positive sign for price discovery and achieving value for money. However, the data does not specify the number of bids received, which would provide further insight into the intensity of the competition.
Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition typically leads to more competitive pricing, potentially saving taxpayer dollars compared to sole-source or limited competition awards.
Public Impact
The primary beneficiary is the Naval Research Laboratory, which receives advanced technology development services. The contract supports research and development in areas crucial for national defense and technological advancement. The geographic impact is primarily within Virginia, where the contractor is located, and potentially extends to naval operations globally. Workforce implications include employment for scientists, engineers, and support staff involved in advanced R&D.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Significant increase in contract value from initial estimate to final award.
- Lack of detail on the number of bidders in the full and open competition.
- The specific nature of the 'advanced technology development' is not detailed, making it hard to assess true value.
Positive Signals
- Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a fair process.
- Contract type (Cost Plus Fixed Fee) can incentivize contractor performance.
- Long contract duration indicates a sustained effort in a critical R&D area.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Research and Development sector, specifically focusing on advanced technology development for defense applications. The NAICS code 541710 covers R&D in physical, engineering, and life sciences. The total value of this contract, exceeding $120 million, places it as a significant investment within this specialized area. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large-scale R&D contracts awarded by the Department of Defense to entities focused on technological innovation.
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 impacts on the small business ecosystem stemming from a set-aside provision. The prime contractor, ITT Industries, would have had the discretion to subcontract, but this information is not detailed in the provided data.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the Department of Defense, likely through the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), given the agency and contract type. Accountability measures would be embedded within the Cost Plus Fixed Fee structure, requiring detailed reporting and justification of costs. Transparency is facilitated by the contract being awarded under full and open competition, with its details being publicly available through federal procurement databases. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.
Related Government Programs
- Naval Research Laboratory Core R&D Programs
- Department of Defense Advanced Technology Development Initiatives
- Information Technology Research and Development
- Advanced Materials Research Contracts
- Engineering and Scientific Services Contracts
Risk Flags
- Significant cost increase from estimate to award.
- Long contract duration may indicate evolving requirements or potential for delays.
- CPFF contract type places cost risk on the government.
Tags
department-of-defense, naval-research-laboratory, itt-industries, cost-plus-fixed-fee, research-and-development, advanced-technology, full-and-open-competition, virginia, large-contract, computer-sciences, mathematics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Defense awarded $28.0 million to PERATON INC.. 200608!000084!1700!N00173!NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY !N0017306C2005 !A!N! !N! ! !20051121!20101130!120731484!120731484!001216845!N!ITT INDUSTRIES, INC !2560 HUNTINGTON AVE 200 !ALEXANDRIA !VA!22303!50000!001!11!WASHINGTON !DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA !D.C. !+000000276658!N!N!000024504629!AJ23!RDTE/MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCES - ADV TECH DEV !C9E!ALL OTHER SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT !000 !NOT DISCERNABLE !541710!E! !3! ! ! ! ! !999
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is PERATON INC..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Defense Contract Management Agency).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $28.0 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2005-11-21. End: 2011-08-31.
What specific technologies or research areas were covered under this contract?
The contract data specifies the NAICS code 541710, which corresponds to 'Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences.' The description also mentions 'RDTE/MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCES - ADV TECH DEV.' This suggests the contract focused on advanced technology development within mathematics, computer sciences, and related engineering and physical sciences fields, likely for naval applications. However, the precise nature of the 'advanced technology' developed is not detailed in the provided summary data. Further investigation into the contract's statement of work or associated documentation would be required to identify the specific research areas and technologies.
How did the final award amount compare to the initial estimated value, and what might explain the difference?
The final award amount for this contract was $120,731,484, which is substantially higher than the initial estimated value of $50,000. This represents an increase of over 241,000%. Such a significant difference could be attributed to several factors. It might indicate that the initial estimate was very preliminary and did not accurately reflect the full scope or complexity of the research and development required. Alternatively, the scope of work may have expanded considerably after the contract was awarded, leading to numerous change orders and cost adjustments. Without access to the contract's modification history, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons, but it suggests a potential issue with initial cost estimation or significant post-award scope creep.
What was the competitive landscape for this contract, and how many bids were received?
The contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION,' which means that all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. This is generally a positive indicator for achieving competitive pricing and value for taxpayer money. However, the provided data does not specify the number of bids that were actually received. Knowing the number of bidders would offer further insight into the intensity of the competition. A high number of bids typically suggests strong market interest and potentially more aggressive pricing, while a low number might indicate a more specialized market or potential barriers to entry for other firms.
What is the track record of ITT Industries in securing and performing on large federal R&D contracts?
ITT Industries, as the contractor for this significant Naval Research Laboratory contract, has a history of engaging with federal R&D projects. While this specific data point highlights a large award, a comprehensive assessment of their track record would require analyzing their portfolio of federal contracts over time. This includes examining the number and value of contracts awarded, their performance ratings on past projects, any instances of contract disputes or terminations, and their success rate in competitive bidding processes across various agencies and R&D domains. Understanding their historical performance provides context for their capability and reliability in executing complex, long-term research and development efforts.
How does the Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract type influence risk and incentive for the contractor?
The Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract type is common for research and development efforts where the scope may not be precisely defined at the outset. Under CPFF, the contractor is reimbursed for all allowable costs incurred, plus a predetermined fixed fee representing profit. This structure shifts much of the financial risk to the government, as the total cost can exceed initial estimates if costs escalate. However, the fixed fee provides an incentive for the contractor to manage costs efficiently, as their profit is capped regardless of the final project cost. For the government, effective oversight is crucial to ensure costs are reasonable and allocable to the contract.
What are the historical spending patterns for similar R&D activities at the Naval Research Laboratory?
Analyzing historical spending patterns for similar R&D activities at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) would involve examining past contracts awarded for advanced technology development, mathematics, computer sciences, and related fields. This would include looking at the total annual R&D budgets allocated by NRL, the average value and duration of R&D contracts, and the distribution of spending across different research areas and contractors. Comparing this contract's value ($120.7 million over approximately 5 years) to historical averages would help determine if it represents a typical investment or an outlier. Such analysis could reveal trends in R&D priorities and funding levels over time.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › General Science and Technology R&D Services
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE (U)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Veritas Capital Fund Management, L.L.C. (UEI: 078628925)
Address: 12975 WORLDGATE DR STE 7117, HERNDON, VA, 20170
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $28,383,829
Exercised Options: $28,383,829
Current Obligation: $27,960,217
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2005-11-21
Current End Date: 2011-08-31
Potential End Date: 2011-08-31 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2017-12-14
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