DHS Awards $13.4M for Computer Services, Exercising Final Option Period

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $13,377,033 ($13.4M)

Contractor: B&A - DSI, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2003-10-01

End Date: 2005-03-31

Contract Duration: 547 days

Daily Burn Rate: $24.5K/day

Competition Type: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: IT

Official Description: EXERCISE THE FINAL OPTION PERIOD (FY 2004) -- NEW CONTRACT NO. FOR INVOICING IS HSBP1004C00181

Place of Performance

Location: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $13.4 million to B&A - DSI, INC. for work described as: EXERCISE THE FINAL OPTION PERIOD (FY 2004) -- NEW CONTRACT NO. FOR INVOICING IS HSBP1004C00181 Key points: 1. Spending of $13.4M on computer services for Customs and Border Protection. 2. Contract awarded to B&A - DSI, INC. with no competition. 3. Risk of inflated costs due to lack of competitive bidding. 4. Services fall under 'Other Computer Related Services' (NAICS 541519).

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

Contract value is $13.4M over 547 days. Pricing is listed as Time and Materials, which can lead to cost overruns if not closely managed. Without competitive benchmarks, assessing value is difficult.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: limited

The contract was not available for competition, indicating a limited source selection. This lack of competition may have prevented the government from securing the best possible price through market forces.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being spent without the benefit of competitive pricing, potentially leading to higher costs than necessary.

Public Impact

Customs and Border Protection receives essential computer services. Potential for higher costs due to sole-source nature. Limited transparency on pricing due to Time and Materials contract type.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition
Time and Materials pricing
Option period exercise

Positive Signals

Contract supports critical agency functions

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically 'Other Computer Related Services'. Benchmarks for similar services are difficult to ascertain without more detail on the specific tasks performed.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not awarded to a small business (ss: false, sb: false).

Oversight & Accountability

The contract was exercised as a final option period, suggesting prior oversight. However, the lack of competition for this extension warrants scrutiny regarding the justification and pricing.

Related Government Programs

Other Computer Related Services
Department of Homeland Security Contracting
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Programs

Risk Flags

Lack of competition
Time and Materials pricing structure
Potential for cost overruns
Limited transparency on service details

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $13.4 million to B&A - DSI, INC.. EXERCISE THE FINAL OPTION PERIOD (FY 2004) -- NEW CONTRACT NO. FOR INVOICING IS HSBP1004C00181

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is B&A - DSI, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $13.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2003-10-01. End: 2005-03-31.

What was the justification for not competing the final option period, and how was the Time and Materials pricing validated to ensure fair and reasonable costs?

The justification for not competing the final option period is not provided in the data. For Time and Materials contracts, agencies typically validate pricing through historical data, market research, or comparison to similar contract types. Without specific details, it's difficult to assess the rigor of this validation process for this particular contract.

What specific computer-related services were provided under this contract, and how did their performance impact operational effectiveness for U.S. Customs and Border Protection?

The data categorizes the services as 'Other Computer Related Services' (NAICS 541519) but does not specify the exact nature of these services. Their impact on operational effectiveness would depend on whether they supported critical systems for border security, data processing, or internal IT infrastructure. Without this detail, assessing effectiveness is speculative.

Given the $13.4M award and lack of competition, what is the estimated potential cost increase compared to a competitively bid contract for similar services?

Estimating the precise cost increase without competitive benchmarks is challenging. However, studies suggest that sole-source or limited-competition contracts can result in prices 10-40% higher than those achieved through full and open competition. For this $13.4M contract, this could translate to an additional $1.3M to $5.4M in taxpayer costs.

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: NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Bart & Associates, LLC (UEI: 603180985)

Address: 21165 WHITFIELD PLACE, STERLING, VA, 10

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Asian Pacific American Owned Business, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $66,427,140

Exercised Options: $59,470,900

Current Obligation: $13,377,033

Timeline