NASA's $49.9M engineering services contract with General Dynamics Information Technology shows a long performance period
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $49,921,629 ($49.9M)
Contractor: General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2006-09-01
End Date: 2013-02-28
Contract Duration: 2,372 days
Daily Burn Rate: $21.0K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 2
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS
Sector: Other
Official Description: DELIVERY ORDER FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE WFF
Place of Performance
Location: WALLOPS ISLAND, ACCOMACK County, VIRGINIA, 23337
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $49.9 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC. for work described as: DELIVERY ORDER FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE WFF Key points: 1. Contract awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. The contract's duration of over 6 years indicates a long-term need for these services. 3. Performance is in Virginia, potentially impacting the local economy and workforce. 4. The contract type is Time and Materials, which can pose cost control challenges. 5. The award value is substantial, requiring careful monitoring of expenditures. 6. This contract falls under engineering services, a critical support function for NASA's facilities.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract's value of nearly $50 million over more than six years suggests a significant investment in engineering services. Without specific benchmarks for similar professional engineering services at NASA facilities, a direct value-for-money assessment is challenging. However, the Time and Materials pricing structure, while common, can lead to cost overruns if not managed diligently. The relatively low number of delivery orders (2) for this large contract might indicate either a very focused scope or potential underutilization, warranting further investigation into the actual services rendered against the awarded value.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit bids. The fact that it was competed suggests that NASA sought to leverage market competition to obtain the best value. The number of bidders is not specified, but full and open competition generally leads to a more robust price discovery process compared to limited or sole-source procurements.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from the potential for competitive pricing and the assurance that NASA explored a wide range of qualified contractors.
Public Impact
The primary beneficiaries are NASA's facilities at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), receiving essential engineering support. Services delivered include professional engineering expertise crucial for maintaining and upgrading facility infrastructure. The geographic impact is concentrated in Virginia, where the Wallops Flight Facility is located. Workforce implications may include employment opportunities for engineers and technical staff, both directly and indirectly.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Time and Materials (T&M) contract type can lead to cost uncertainty and potential overruns if not closely monitored.
- The long duration of the contract (over 6 years) requires sustained oversight to ensure continued relevance and value.
- Lack of specific details on the number of bidders in the full and open competition makes it difficult to fully assess the competitive pressure applied.
Positive Signals
- Awarded through full and open competition, indicating a commitment to market-based procurement.
- The contract supports critical engineering services for a key NASA facility.
- The substantial value suggests a significant and ongoing need for these specialized services.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Engineering Services sector, a broad category encompassing specialized technical expertise for design, analysis, and project management. The market for such services is competitive, with numerous firms offering a range of capabilities. NASA, as a major government agency, frequently procures engineering services to support its complex research, development, and operational activities. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically be found within government-wide contract vehicles or agency-specific historical data for similar professional services.
Small Business Impact
The provided data indicates that small business participation (sb) was false, and there is no mention of small business set-asides. This suggests that the contract was not specifically targeted towards small businesses, and larger, established firms likely dominated the bidding process. Subcontracting opportunities for small businesses may exist but are not explicitly detailed in this award summary. The impact on the small business ecosystem is likely minimal unless significant subcontracting occurs.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a delivery order under a larger contract, the specific oversight mechanisms would depend on the parent contract's structure. Accountability measures would involve performance reviews, adherence to contract terms, and financial reporting. Transparency is generally facilitated through federal procurement databases, but detailed performance metrics and cost breakdowns may not be publicly available.
Related Government Programs
- NASA Facilities Engineering Support Contracts
- Professional Services Contracts
- Engineering and Technical Services
- Government Facility Maintenance and Operations
Risk Flags
- Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials pricing.
- Need for robust oversight to manage long-term contract performance.
- Limited transparency on specific deliverables and performance metrics.
- Lack of detail on small business participation.
Tags
engineering-services, nasa, national-aeronautics-and-space-administration, wallops-flight-facility, virginia, full-and-open-competition, delivery-order, time-and-materials, professional-services, long-term-contract
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $49.9 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.. DELIVERY ORDER FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE WFF
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC..
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 $49.9 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2006-09-01. End: 2013-02-28.
What was the specific nature of the professional engineering services provided under this contract?
The contract, identified by the description 'DELIVERY ORDER FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE WFF', was awarded to General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). While the core purpose was 'Professional Engineering Services', the specific tasks performed are not detailed in the provided summary. These services likely encompassed a range of activities supporting the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), potentially including design, analysis, testing, integration, and maintenance of aerospace systems, ground support equipment, or facility infrastructure. The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure suggests that the scope might have been flexible or evolved over the contract's duration, with payment based on the hours worked by personnel and the cost of materials used. Further details would require access to the contract's statement of work or performance reports.
How does the $49.9 million value compare to similar engineering services contracts at NASA or other federal agencies?
Assessing the $49.9 million value requires context regarding the scope and duration of the services. This contract spanned over six years (September 1, 2006, to February 28, 2013), averaging approximately $8.3 million per year. NASA and other large federal agencies, particularly those involved in complex research, development, and infrastructure projects (like the Department of Defense or Department of Energy), frequently award engineering services contracts in this range or even higher. For instance, major aerospace programs or large-scale facility upgrades can command hundreds of millions of dollars. Without knowing the specific deliverables and complexity of the engineering services at WFF, a direct comparison is difficult. However, the value is substantial and indicative of significant, long-term engineering support needs.
What are the primary risks associated with a Time and Materials (T&M) contract of this magnitude and duration?
The primary risk with a Time and Materials (T&M) contract, especially one valued at nearly $50 million over six years, is cost escalation. Unlike fixed-price contracts, T&M contracts do not have a ceiling on the total cost, making it difficult to predict the final expenditure. This can lead to budget overruns if the contractor's labor hours or material costs are higher than anticipated. Effective oversight is crucial to mitigate this risk. This includes rigorous monitoring of timesheets, validation of material costs, and ensuring that the work performed is necessary and efficient. Without strong government oversight and clear task definitions, contractors may have less incentive to control costs, potentially leading to reduced value for taxpayers.
What does the contract's long performance period (over 6 years) imply about NASA's needs and planning?
The contract's extended performance period, from September 1, 2006, to February 28, 2013 (approximately 6.5 years), suggests that NASA identified a long-term, stable requirement for professional engineering services at the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). This duration implies that the services were not for a short-term project but rather for ongoing support, maintenance, or development activities critical to the facility's operations. Such long-term planning indicates a strategic approach by NASA to ensure continuity of essential engineering expertise. It also allows for deeper integration of the contractor's knowledge and capabilities with NASA's mission objectives over time, potentially leading to greater efficiency and effectiveness.
How does the PSC code '541330' (Engineering Services) inform our understanding of this contract's place in the federal market?
The Product Service Code (PSC) '541330' specifically designates 'Engineering Services'. This classification places the contract firmly within a major category of professional services procured by the federal government. Agencies like NASA, the Department of Defense, and others with significant research, development, and infrastructure needs rely heavily on engineering expertise. The prevalence of this PSC code across various agencies indicates a robust and competitive market for engineering talent. Contracts under this code can range from highly specialized R&D support to more general facility engineering and design. Understanding this code helps in benchmarking against similar procurements and identifying the types of firms that typically compete for such work.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services › Engineering Services
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 2
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: General Dynamics Corp (UEI: 001381284)
Address: 15000 CONFERENCE CENTER DR, CHANTILLY, VA, 20151
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $52,000,000
Exercised Options: $52,000,000
Current Obligation: $49,921,629
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: NNG06WA07Z
IDV Type: BPA
Timeline
Start Date: 2006-09-01
Current End Date: 2013-02-28
Potential End Date: 2013-02-28 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2019-08-29
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