NASA awards $9.9M contract for SDS preliminary and critical design review support to INNOVIM, LLC
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $9,895,838 ($9.9M)
Contractor: Innovim, LLC
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2006-07-12
End Date: 2012-01-31
Contract Duration: 2,029 days
Daily Burn Rate: $4.9K/day
Competition Type: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Number of Offers Received: 999
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: SUPPORT FOR THE SDS PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW, CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW, TRADE STUDIES, INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENTS, SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS REVIEW, MISSION OPERATIONS CONCEPT, AND NPP SDS SYSTEM DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
Place of Performance
Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20016
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $9.9 million to INNOVIM, LLC for work described as: SUPPORT FOR THE SDS PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW, CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW, TRADE STUDIES, INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENTS, SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS REVIEW, MISSION OPERATIONS CONCEPT, AND NPP SDS SYSTEM DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS Key points: 1. Contract focuses on critical design phases for the SDS system, indicating a focus on foundational engineering. 2. The contract duration of over 2000 days suggests a long-term need for specialized technical expertise. 3. Awarded as a competitive delivery order, implying a selection from a pre-existing contract vehicle. 4. The firm-fixed-price structure aims to control costs and provide predictability for the government. 5. The specific services cover a range of design reviews and documentation, crucial for system development. 6. The relatively small award amount for a multi-year effort may indicate a specific, focused scope of work.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
Benchmarking this specific contract's value is challenging without more context on the SDS system's complexity and the specific deliverables. However, the total award of approximately $9.9 million over a period of roughly 5.5 years (July 2006 to January 2012) averages to about $1.8 million per year. This figure needs to be assessed against the scope of work, which includes critical design reviews, trade studies, and interface control documents. Compared to large-scale system development contracts, this appears to be a moderate investment, suggesting it might be for a specific subsystem or a specialized support role rather than full system development.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: unknown
The data indicates this was a 'COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER'. This suggests that the delivery order itself was competed, likely against other potential awardees under a broader indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract or a similar multiple-award contract vehicle. The specific details of how many bidders participated in this particular delivery order competition are not provided. A competitive process, even at the delivery order level, generally aims to ensure fair pricing and access to a range of qualified contractors.
Taxpayer Impact: A competitive award process, even for a delivery order, is generally favorable for taxpayers as it encourages multiple vendors to offer their best pricing and technical solutions, potentially leading to cost savings compared to a sole-source award.
Public Impact
The primary beneficiaries are NASA and its mission objectives, which rely on the successful design and development of the SDS system. The services delivered are critical engineering and technical support, ensuring the preliminary and critical design phases meet rigorous standards. The geographic impact is likely concentrated around NASA facilities involved in the SDS program, potentially including contractor sites. The contract supports a specialized technical workforce in areas such as systems engineering, design review, and documentation.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of specific competition details for the delivery order makes it difficult to assess if the best value was achieved.
- The duration of the contract (over 2000 days) could present risks if system requirements or technologies change significantly.
- The specific nature of 'SUPPORT FOR THE SDS PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW...' is broad and could lead to scope creep if not tightly managed.
Positive Signals
- Awarded as a competitive delivery order, indicating some level of competition was involved.
- The firm-fixed-price contract type helps to manage cost uncertainty for the government.
- The contract covers essential, early-stage design activities critical for project success.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically focusing on engineering design and support for aerospace systems. The market for such services is highly specialized, often involving firms with deep expertise in government contracting and specific technological domains like space exploration. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically be found within NASA's broader portfolio of system design and engineering support contracts, as well as similar contracts awarded by other defense and aerospace agencies. The total value of $9.9 million over approximately 5.5 years is moderate for a system development support role, suggesting it might be for a specific component or phase.
Small Business Impact
The provided data indicates that neither small business set-aside (ss) nor small business (sb) flags are true for this contract. This suggests the contract was not specifically targeted towards small businesses. Consequently, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem through this specific award is likely minimal. However, the prime contractor, INNOVIM, LLC, may engage small businesses as subcontractors, depending on their own subcontracting plans and the nature of the work required. Without further information on subcontracting goals or achievements, the broader implications for small businesses remain unclear.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a competitive delivery order under a larger contract vehicle, oversight would involve monitoring INNOVIM, LLC's performance against the contract requirements, ensuring adherence to the firm-fixed-price terms, and managing the delivery schedule. NASA's contracting officers and technical representatives would be responsible for ensuring the quality and timeliness of the delivered services, including design reviews and documentation. Transparency is typically facilitated through contract award databases and reporting requirements, though detailed performance metrics may not always be publicly available. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of suspected fraud, was
Related Government Programs
- NASA Systems Engineering Support Contracts
- Aerospace Design and Development Services
- Critical Design Review Services
- Space Systems Development Contracts
Risk Flags
- Long contract duration may increase risk of technology obsolescence or requirement changes.
- Limited public information on specific competition details for the delivery order.
- Scope of 'support' needs clear definition to prevent creep over the contract term.
Tags
nasa, aerospace, research-and-development, systems-engineering, design-review, firm-fixed-price, competitive-delivery-order, it-services, professional-services, district-of-columbia, innovim-llc
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $9.9 million to INNOVIM, LLC. SUPPORT FOR THE SDS PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW, CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW, TRADE STUDIES, INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENTS, SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS REVIEW, MISSION OPERATIONS CONCEPT, AND NPP SDS SYSTEM DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is INNOVIM, LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $9.9 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2006-07-12. End: 2012-01-31.
What is the specific nature of the 'SDS' system this contract supports, and what is its importance to NASA's mission?
The provided data does not explicitly define the 'SDS' system. However, given the context of NASA and the services procured (preliminary design review, critical design review, trade studies, etc.), SDS likely refers to a significant space system, potentially a satellite, probe, or ground support system. Its importance would be tied to NASA's strategic goals, which could range from scientific research (e.g., Earth observation, astrophysics) to exploration or technology demonstration. The critical design phases indicate it's a major undertaking where robust engineering and validation are paramount before proceeding to full-scale development and deployment. Without further information, the exact mission relevance remains speculative but is undoubtedly tied to advancing NASA's objectives in space science or operations.
How does the $9.9 million award compare to typical spending for similar preliminary and critical design review services at NASA?
Comparing the $9.9 million award for support over approximately 5.5 years requires understanding the scale and complexity of the SDS system. For major space missions, preliminary and critical design phases can involve hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars in total development costs. The $9.9 million allocated here for specific review and documentation support appears moderate in that context. It suggests this contract might cover a specific subsystem, a particular phase of the design process, or specialized technical consulting rather than the entirety of the design effort for a flagship mission. NASA often uses multiple contracts for different aspects of system design, so this figure should be viewed as a component of a larger program's budget.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) likely used to evaluate INNOVIM, LLC's performance under this contract?
Key performance indicators for this contract would likely focus on the quality, timeliness, and completeness of the engineering support provided. Specific KPIs could include: adherence to schedule for design reviews and documentation deliverables; quality of technical analyses and trade study reports; effectiveness in identifying and resolving design issues during reviews; accuracy and completeness of interface control documents and system requirements specifications; and overall contribution to the successful progression through the preliminary and critical design phases. Customer satisfaction surveys from NASA technical representatives would also likely be a factor. Given the firm-fixed-price nature, meeting all requirements within the agreed budget is also an implicit KPI.
What is the historical spending pattern for INNOVIM, LLC with NASA or other federal agencies in similar service areas?
To assess INNOVIM, LLC's historical spending patterns, one would need to access broader federal procurement databases beyond this single contract. This contract, awarded in 2006, represents a specific engagement. A comprehensive analysis would involve looking at all contracts awarded to INNOVIM, LLC across all federal agencies, particularly focusing on contracts within the 'Other Computer Related Services' (NAICS 541519) or related engineering and technical services categories. Examining the volume, value, and duration of past contracts would reveal their experience level, areas of specialization, and track record with government clients. Without access to that broader dataset, it's difficult to establish a definitive historical spending pattern or gauge their typical contract size and scope.
What are the potential risks associated with a contract spanning over 2000 days for preliminary and critical design reviews?
A contract duration of over 2000 days (approximately 5.5 years) for preliminary and critical design reviews presents several potential risks. Firstly, technology evolution: the technologies relevant to the SDS system might advance significantly during this period, potentially rendering initial design choices suboptimal or requiring costly redesigns. Secondly, personnel turnover: key personnel at INNOVIM, LLC might leave the project, leading to knowledge loss and impacting continuity. Thirdly, scope creep: the extended duration could invite gradual expansion of the scope if not rigorously managed by NASA, leading to cost overruns or delays. Lastly, changing requirements: NASA's own mission priorities or understanding of the SDS system might evolve, necessitating adjustments to the design that could conflict with the initial scope or timeline.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 999
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 7474 GREENWAY CTR DR STE 800, GREENBELT, MD, 20770
Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $9,906,159
Exercised Options: $9,906,159
Current Obligation: $9,895,838
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: GS35F0677R
IDV Type: FSS
Timeline
Start Date: 2006-07-12
Current End Date: 2012-01-31
Potential End Date: 2012-01-31 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2016-11-29
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