SSA's $21M Task Order for Expert Engineering Support to MicroTechnologies LLC
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $21,039,987 ($21.0M)
Contractor: Microtechnologies LLC
Awarding Agency: Social Security Administration
Start Date: 2011-09-30
End Date: 2012-06-30
Contract Duration: 274 days
Daily Burn Rate: $76.8K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES
Number of Offers Received: 6
Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS
Sector: IT
Official Description: THE PURPOSE OF THIS LABOR-HOUR TASK ORDER IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGHLY SKILLED, EXPERT ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) MAINFRAME, DISTRIBUTED AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENTS. THE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED ARE OUTLINED IN THE TASK ORDER 0031, ESS OPTION YEAR 4 STATEMENT OF WORK, PAGES 1 THROUGH 323 AND WILL BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRICING STRUCTURE, TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN CONTRACT SS00-07-60056 WITH MICROTECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
Place of Performance
Location: BALTIMORE, BALTIMORE (CITY) County, MARYLAND, 21235
State: Maryland Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Social Security Administration obligated $21.0 million to MICROTECHNOLOGIES LLC for work described as: THE PURPOSE OF THIS LABOR-HOUR TASK ORDER IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGHLY SKILLED, EXPERT ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) MAINFRAME, DISTRIBUTED AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENTS. THE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED ARE OUTLINED IN THE TASK ORD… Key points: 1. This labor-hour task order focuses on providing expert engineering support for SSA's IT environments. 2. The contract was awarded to MicroTechnologies LLC under full and open competition. 3. The total value is approximately $21 million, spanning 274 days. 4. The primary sector is Information Technology, specifically custom computer programming services.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract is a labor-hour type, making direct pricing assessment difficult without detailed labor rates. The total value of $21M for 274 days suggests a significant investment in specialized engineering support.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under 'Full and Open Competition After Exclusion of Sources,' indicating a competitive process. However, the specific nature of 'exclusion of sources' warrants further investigation into the competitive landscape and price discovery.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being utilized for specialized IT engineering support, with the value and efficiency of this spending dependent on the effectiveness of the services provided and the competitive pricing achieved.
Public Impact
Ensures continued operation and maintenance of critical SSA IT infrastructure. Supports the complex mainframe, distributed, and telecommunications systems vital for SSA services. Provides specialized engineering expertise to address technical challenges within SSA's IT environments.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Labor-hour contracts can lead to cost overruns if not closely monitored.
- The 'exclusion of sources' clause in the competition method needs clarification.
- Potential for scope creep in task orders without fixed deliverables.
Positive Signals
- Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive process.
- Focus on essential IT infrastructure support for a major government agency.
- Experienced contractor providing specialized engineering services.
Sector Analysis
This task order falls within the IT sector, specifically custom computer programming services. Spending benchmarks for similar expert engineering support contracts can vary widely based on the complexity and criticality of the systems supported.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was not awarded to small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there is no direct small business participation or impact from this specific task order.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight would involve monitoring the labor hours utilized, ensuring tasks align with the statement of work, and verifying that the services provided meet SSA's technical requirements and performance standards.
Related Government Programs
- Custom Computer Programming Services
- Social Security Administration Contracting
- Social Security Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Labor-hour contract type can be prone to cost overruns.
- Lack of clarity on 'exclusion of sources' in competition.
- Potential for vendor lock-in if expertise is highly specialized.
- Reliance on specific contractor for critical IT support.
Tags
custom-computer-programming-services, social-security-administration, md, do, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Social Security Administration awarded $21.0 million to MICROTECHNOLOGIES LLC. THE PURPOSE OF THIS LABOR-HOUR TASK ORDER IS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGHLY SKILLED, EXPERT ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) MAINFRAME, DISTRIBUTED AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENTS. THE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED ARE OUTLINED IN THE TASK ORDER 0031, ESS OPTION YEAR 4 STATEMENT OF WORK, PAGES 1 THROUGH 323 AND WILL BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRICING STRUCTURE, TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN CONTRACT SS00-07-60056 WITH MICROTECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is MICROTECHNOLOGIES LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Social Security Administration (Social Security Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $21.0 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2011-09-30. End: 2012-06-30.
What specific metrics are used to evaluate the 'highly skilled, expert engineering support' provided under this contract to ensure value for money?
Evaluation of 'highly skilled, expert engineering support' typically relies on performance metrics outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW). This can include system uptime, incident resolution times, successful implementation of upgrades or patches, and adherence to security protocols. Regular performance reviews and feedback from SSA technical leads are crucial to gauge the quality and effectiveness of the services rendered against the contracted objectives.
How does the 'exclusion of sources' in the competition method impact the potential for cost savings and innovation?
The 'exclusion of sources' clause, while allowing for competition among a defined set of bidders, can limit the overall competitive pool. This may reduce pressure on pricing and potentially stifle innovation if alternative, non-excluded vendors could offer more cost-effective or novel solutions. Understanding the rationale for excluding certain sources is key to assessing whether this approach optimized value or restricted market access.
What is the long-term strategy for managing SSA's mainframe, distributed, and telecommunications environments, and how does this task order contribute to it?
This task order represents a continuation of support, suggesting an ongoing need for expert engineering services for SSA's existing IT infrastructure. The long-term strategy would ideally involve modernization or migration plans. This contract's contribution lies in maintaining operational stability and providing the necessary expertise during the interim, ensuring critical services are uninterrupted while future infrastructure decisions are made.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Custom Computer Programming Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 6
Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS (Z)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 8330 BOONE BLVD STE 310, VIENNA, VA, 11
Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Special Designations, Veteran Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $21,039,987
Exercised Options: $21,039,987
Current Obligation: $21,039,987
Contract Characteristics
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: SS000760056
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2011-09-30
Current End Date: 2012-06-30
Potential End Date: 2012-06-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2012-03-30
More Contracts from Microtechnologies LLC
- Microsoft Enterprise Agreement for Microsoft Products and Services Igf::ot::igf Corrected to Update Blank Naic and PSC on MOD. CW 4/5/16 — $663.9M (Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Microsoft Option Year 4 for Microsoft Services — $260.0M (Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Combined AIR and Space Operations (caoc) Communications Support — $114.2M (Department of Defense)
- General Licensing Support for Gnma — $76.5M (Department of Housing and Urban Development)
- Enterprise SAN Refresh (EST) Contract — $51.8M (Department of the Treasury)
Other Social Security Administration Contracts
- Itssc Task Order for Systems — $1.1B (Leidos, Inc.)
- Contractor IS to Provide the Expertise, Technical Knowledge, IT Support Personnel, and Other Related Resources Necessary for Systems Analysis and Testing — $734.1M (Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation)
- Contractor to Provide Development&database Support to Agency's Office of Software Engineering — $593.5M (Leidos, Inc.)
- THE Government Intends to Establish a Single-Award Delivery Order Base Plus Four 1year Option Periods for the Renewal of IBM Software Maintenance and the Purchase of More Additional IBM Software Licenses Against the General Services Administrations Federal Supply Schedule Program. Previous Order SS00-15-30081 — $525.4M (International Business Machines Corporation)
- NEW 66 Month Open-Market Contract for Renewal of CA Software, Support Services, and Maintenance. CA Proprietary Software Products ARE Used Extensively Throughout OUR Mainframe and Distributed Environments AT ALL SSA Data Centers — $419.8M (CA, Inc.)