Army Awards $40.5M for Archival Material Digitization to QUALX, LLC Under Full and Open Competition
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $40,494,157 ($40.5M)
Contractor: Qualx, LLC
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Date: 2018-09-27
End Date: 2024-03-26
Contract Duration: 2,007 days
Daily Burn Rate: $20.2K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: IT
Official Description: BASE DIGITIZATION OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS
Place of Performance
Location: CARLISLE, CUMBERLAND County, PENNSYLVANIA, 17013
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Defense obligated $40.5 million to QUALX, LLC for work described as: BASE DIGITIZATION OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS Key points: 1. Significant investment in preserving historical records through digitization. 2. Competition method suggests potential for competitive pricing. 3. Contract duration spans over five years, indicating a long-term need. 4. Sector focus on data processing and hosting aligns with digital preservation trends.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of $40.5M over approximately 5.5 years suggests a reasonable annual spend. Benchmarking against similar digitization projects would provide a clearer picture of value, but the firm-fixed-price structure aims to control costs.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. This method typically fosters competitive pricing and ensures the government receives the best value.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used to modernize and preserve valuable archival materials, ensuring long-term accessibility and reducing physical storage costs.
Public Impact
Enhances accessibility of historical documents for researchers and the public. Preserves fragile physical records from degradation. Supports digital transformation initiatives within the Department of Defense.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for scope creep in digitization projects.
- Data security and integrity during the digitization process.
- Long-term storage and accessibility of digitized materials.
Positive Signals
- Clear contract award under full and open competition.
- Firm-fixed-price contract type helps manage costs.
- Significant investment in a critical archival function.
Sector Analysis
The contract falls within the Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services sector. The $40.5M award is substantial for a digitization project, reflecting the scale and complexity of preserving archival materials.
Small Business Impact
While the contract was awarded to QUALX, LLC, it's unclear if small businesses were involved as subcontractors. Further analysis would be needed to determine the extent of small business participation.
Oversight & Accountability
The award was made under full and open competition, suggesting a structured procurement process. Oversight will be crucial to ensure the contractor meets quality standards and delivery timelines for the digitized materials.
Related Government Programs
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
- Department of Defense Contracting
- Department of the Army Programs
Risk Flags
- Contract duration is lengthy (over 5 years).
- Potential for scope creep in digitization projects.
- Data security and integrity concerns.
- Long-term digital preservation and accessibility planning.
Tags
computing-infrastructure-providers-data-, department-of-defense, pa, delivery-order, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Defense awarded $40.5 million to QUALX, LLC. BASE DIGITIZATION OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is QUALX, LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Department of the Army).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $40.5 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2018-09-27. End: 2024-03-26.
What is the estimated cost per item or page for the digitization process?
The provided data does not specify a per-unit cost for digitization. The total award is $40.5M over approximately 2007 days (contract duration). To estimate, one would need the total number of items or pages to be digitized. Without this, a precise per-unit cost benchmark cannot be established, making it difficult to assess cost-effectiveness at a granular level.
What are the primary risks associated with digitizing archival materials, and how are they mitigated?
Key risks include data corruption or loss during scanning and processing, degradation of original materials, and ensuring the long-term accessibility and integrity of digital files. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust data backup protocols, quality control checks at each stage, secure handling of physical documents, and adherence to digital preservation standards.
How does this digitization effort contribute to the Department of the Army's overall mission effectiveness?
Digitizing archival materials significantly enhances mission effectiveness by improving access to historical data for research, planning, and decision-making. It ensures the preservation of irreplaceable records, reduces reliance on fragile physical archives, and supports modern digital workflows, ultimately making information more readily available to personnel and researchers.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY
Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 6564 LOISDALE COURT, SPRINGFIELD, VA, 22150
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $40,868,302
Exercised Options: $40,838,302
Current Obligation: $40,494,157
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: GS03F0005Y
IDV Type: FSS
Timeline
Start Date: 2018-09-27
Current End Date: 2024-03-26
Potential End Date: 2024-03-26 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2023-12-07
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