Weston Solutions Inc. awarded $22.3M for EPA's Core Readiness Team support over five years
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $22,341,918 ($22.3M)
Contractor: Weston Solutions Inc
Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Start Date: 2015-07-01
End Date: 2020-06-30
Contract Duration: 1,826 days
Daily Burn Rate: $12.2K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF TO 1 CORE READINESS TEAM B.3 CORE READINESS TEAM THE CONTRACTOR SHALL SUPPLY A TEAM OF PROFICIENT LEVEL A TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) THE CRT SHALL MAINTAIN A 24 HOUR, SEVEN-DAYS A WEEK, YEAR ROUND RESPONSE CAPABILITY TO RESPOND TO EPAS NEED ON A REGIONAL, BACK UP REGIONAL, CROSS REGIONAL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE BASIS. THE CRT WILL BE FIXED PRICE. THE CRT WILL BE ORDERED VIA A TASK ORDER FOR A FIVE (5) YEAR PERIOD, AND WILL BE INCREMENTALLY FUNDED.
Place of Performance
Location: BOSTON, SUFFOLK County, MASSACHUSETTS, 02109
Plain-Language Summary
Environmental Protection Agency obligated $22.3 million to WESTON SOLUTIONS INC for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF TO 1 CORE READINESS TEAM B.3 CORE READINESS TEAM THE CONTRACTOR SHALL SUPPLY A TEAM OF PROFICIENT LEVEL A TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) THE CRT SHALL MAINTAIN A… Key points: 1. Contract provides 24/7 emergency response personnel for EPA's regional and national needs. 2. Fixed-price contract structure aims to control costs for emergency response services. 3. Performance period spans five years, indicating a long-term need for these services. 4. Contract awarded via full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 5. The service is categorized under Remediation Services, highlighting its environmental focus. 6. Incremental funding suggests a phased approach to resource allocation for the contract.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract's total value of $22.3 million over five years for a dedicated emergency response team appears reasonable given the critical nature of the services. Benchmarking against similar contracts for specialized emergency response teams is challenging due to unique operational requirements. However, the firm-fixed-price structure provides cost certainty for the EPA, which is a positive indicator of value for money, assuming performance standards are met.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the open competition suggests a healthy market for these specialized emergency response services. This process is designed to foster price discovery and ensure the government receives competitive pricing.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive process that aims to secure the most cost-effective solution for essential emergency response capabilities, preventing potential overspending.
Public Impact
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) benefits directly through enhanced capacity for emergency response. Services delivered include maintaining a 24/7, year-round response capability for environmental emergencies. Geographic impact is national, with support for regional, cross-regional, and international response needs. Workforce implications include the provision of trained and experienced personnel for critical environmental incidents.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for scope creep if emergency response needs exceed initial projections.
- Dependence on a single contractor for critical, round-the-clock emergency services carries inherent risk.
- Ensuring consistent quality and proficiency of personnel over a five-year period requires robust oversight.
Positive Signals
- Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost predictability for the government.
- Full and open competition suggests a competitive market and potentially better pricing.
- Long-term contract duration indicates a sustained need and potential for contractor expertise development.
Sector Analysis
The contract falls within the Environmental Services sector, specifically focusing on remediation and emergency response. This sector is critical for government agencies tasked with environmental protection and disaster management. The market for such specialized services is often characterized by a mix of large, established firms and smaller, niche providers. The $22.3 million value positions this as a significant contract within its sub-sector, reflecting the high stakes and specialized nature of environmental emergency preparedness.
Small Business Impact
The provided data indicates that small business participation (sb) was false and there was no small business set-aside (ss) for this contract. This suggests that the contract was not specifically targeted towards small businesses, and larger, established companies likely dominated the bidding process. There is no information on subcontracting plans, so the direct impact on the small business ecosystem is unclear, but it likely did not involve set-aside opportunities.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Environmental Protection Agency's contracting and program management offices. The firm-fixed-price nature necessitates monitoring performance against the PWS to ensure service delivery standards are met. Accountability measures would be tied to contractual deliverables and performance metrics. Transparency is generally facilitated by contract award data, but detailed operational oversight specifics are not publicly available.
Related Government Programs
- EPA Emergency Response Contracts
- Environmental Remediation Services
- Disaster Preparedness and Response
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Support Contracts
Risk Flags
- Potential for performance degradation over the contract's five-year term.
- Reliance on a single contractor for critical, continuous emergency response.
- Need for rigorous EPA oversight to ensure readiness and quality of personnel.
Tags
environmental-protection-agency, remediation-services, emergency-response, core-readiness-team, weston-solutions-inc, firm-fixed-price, full-and-open-competition, five-year-contract, massachusetts, environmental-services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Environmental Protection Agency awarded $22.3 million to WESTON SOLUTIONS INC. IGF::OT::IGF TO 1 CORE READINESS TEAM B.3 CORE READINESS TEAM THE CONTRACTOR SHALL SUPPLY A TEAM OF PROFICIENT LEVEL A TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) THE CRT SHALL MAINTAIN A 24 HOUR, SEVEN-DAYS A WEEK, YEAR ROUND RESPONSE CAPABILITY TO RESPOND TO EPAS NEED ON A REGIONAL, BACK UP REGIONAL, CROSS REGIONAL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE BASIS. THE CRT WILL BE FIXED PRICE. THE CRT WILL BE
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is WESTON SOLUTIONS INC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $22.3 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2015-07-01. End: 2020-06-30.
What is the track record of Weston Solutions Inc. in performing similar emergency response contracts for federal agencies?
Weston Solutions Inc. has a history of performing environmental and infrastructure services for various federal agencies, including the EPA and Department of Defense. Their experience often includes remediation, engineering, and construction services. While specific details on their performance for similar emergency response contracts are not detailed in this data, their general profile suggests they possess the capabilities required for such tasks. A deeper dive into past performance reviews and any past performance issues or commendations would be necessary for a comprehensive assessment of their track record in this specific area.
How does the per-person cost of the Core Readiness Team compare to industry benchmarks?
Calculating a precise per-person cost is difficult without knowing the exact number of personnel deployed and their specific roles or skill levels. The total contract value is $22.3 million over five years, which averages to approximately $4.46 million per year. If we assume a team of, for example, 20 full-time equivalent personnel, the average annual cost per person would be around $223,000. This figure needs to be contextualized by the 24/7 availability requirement, specialized training, and the high-stakes nature of emergency response. Industry benchmarks for highly specialized, on-call personnel with extensive training can vary significantly, but this figure appears within a plausible range for such critical support.
What are the primary risks associated with this contract and how are they mitigated?
Key risks include the potential for contractor underperformance, failure to maintain 24/7 readiness, or an inability to scale personnel effectively during major incidents. Another risk is the dependence on a single entity for critical response capabilities. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust performance monitoring by the EPA, clearly defined service level agreements (SLAs) in the PWS, and potentially contingency planning for backup support. The firm-fixed-price structure incentivizes the contractor to perform efficiently, but the EPA must actively manage performance to ensure mission success and taxpayer value.
How effective has the Core Readiness Team been in supporting EPA's emergency response missions historically?
The provided data focuses on the contract award and its terms, not on the historical effectiveness of the Core Readiness Team's performance. Assessing effectiveness would require analyzing EPA's incident reports, response times, outcomes of emergency responses supported by the CRT, and feedback from EPA officials. Without access to these performance metrics and qualitative assessments, it is impossible to definitively state how effective the team has been. Future performance will depend on the contractor's execution and the EPA's oversight.
What is the trend in federal spending on emergency response and environmental remediation services?
Federal spending on emergency response and environmental remediation services has generally seen fluctuations driven by major environmental events, natural disasters, and evolving regulatory requirements. Agencies like the EPA, FEMA, and the Department of Defense consistently require such services. Spending can increase following significant incidents or policy shifts emphasizing preparedness. While this specific contract represents a $22.3 million commitment over five years, broader trends indicate a sustained, and often increasing, need for these capabilities across the federal government due to climate change impacts and aging infrastructure.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Remediation and Other Waste Management Services › Remediation Services
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Solicitation ID: SOL-R3-14-00004
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc.
Address: 1400 WESTON WAY, WEST CHESTER, PA, 19380
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $24,512,129
Exercised Options: $24,512,129
Current Obligation: $22,341,918
Subaward Activity
Number of Subawards: 4
Total Subaward Amount: $159,108
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: EPS31501
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2015-07-01
Current End Date: 2020-06-30
Potential End Date: 2021-02-23 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2022-06-30
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