DoD's $35.6M IT contract with CSRA Information Systems LLC awarded in 2001 for 2467 days

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $35,663,928 ($35.7M)

Contractor: Csra Information Systems LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2001-09-21

End Date: 2008-06-23

Contract Duration: 2,467 days

Daily Burn Rate: $14.5K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 2

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: IT

Place of Performance

Location: CHANTILLY, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 20151

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $35.7 million to CSRA INFORMATION SYSTEMS LLC for work described as: Key points: 1. Contract awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. Time and Materials contract type may pose cost control challenges if not managed closely. 3. The contract duration of over 6 years indicates a long-term need for the services. 4. Awarded to CSRA Information Systems LLC, a significant player in the federal IT sector. 5. The contract was awarded by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), a key DoD IT provider. 6. The contract was awarded under the 'Other' award type, requiring further clarification.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this $35.6 million contract over its 2467-day duration (approximately 6.7 years) is challenging without specific performance metrics or comparable contract data. The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure, while common for IT services, can lead to cost overruns if not meticulously monitored. Without details on the specific services rendered, it's difficult to assess if the per-diem or hourly rates were competitive against market standards at the time of award. The total value suggests a substantial IT support requirement for the Department of Defense.

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 presence of two bids suggests a moderate level of competition for this requirement. While two bidders are better than one, a higher number of bids typically leads to more robust price discovery and potentially lower costs for the government. The specific details of the bidding process and the evaluation criteria would provide further insight into the effectiveness of the competition.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition, even with only two bidders, generally provides a better opportunity for competitive pricing than a sole-source or limited competition award, potentially saving taxpayer dollars.

Public Impact

The Department of Defense benefits from IT services crucial for its operations. The contract supports the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) in its mission. Services likely impact military personnel and civilian employees relying on secure and efficient IT infrastructure. Geographic impact is primarily within the United States, supporting DoD installations. Workforce implications include employment for IT professionals within CSRA Information Systems LLC and potentially subcontractors.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials contract type can lead to cost escalation if not managed rigorously.
Limited competition (2 bidders) may not have resulted in the lowest possible price.
Lack of specific performance metrics makes value assessment difficult.
Award type 'DO' is vague and requires further investigation into its implications.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, allowing for broad market participation.
Long contract duration suggests a stable and ongoing need, providing continuity.
Contractor (CSRA) is an established federal IT provider.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Information Technology sector, specifically supporting defense-related IT infrastructure and services. The federal IT market is vast, with agencies like the Department of Defense being major consumers. Contracts of this size and duration are typical for providing comprehensive IT support, including network management, system maintenance, and potentially software development or integration. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve analyzing other large-scale IT support contracts awarded by DoD or other federal agencies during the early 2000s.

Small Business Impact

The provided data indicates that small business participation (sb: false) was not a specific set-aside for this contract. There is no information regarding subcontracting plans or actual performance. Therefore, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem from this specific contract appears minimal, though the prime contractor may engage small businesses in its supply chain.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would have been primarily managed by the contracting officers and program managers within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). As a Department of Defense contract, it would also be subject to DoD's internal audit and oversight mechanisms, and potentially the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for bid protests or performance reviews. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS.

Related Government Programs

DoD IT Modernization Programs
Defense Information Systems Network (DISN)
Federal Enterprise Architecture
IT Services for National Security

Risk Flags

Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials pricing.
Risk of technological obsolescence over the contract's long duration.
Limited competition (2 bidders) may have impacted price optimization.
Vague award type 'DO' requires further clarification.
Lack of detailed performance data hinders comprehensive value assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $35.7 million to CSRA INFORMATION SYSTEMS LLC. See the official description on USAspending.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is CSRA INFORMATION SYSTEMS LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Defense Information Systems Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $35.7 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2001-09-21. End: 2008-06-23.

What specific IT services were provided under this contract?

The provided data does not specify the exact IT services rendered under this $35.6 million contract awarded to CSRA Information Systems LLC. However, given the awarding agency (DISA) and the contract type (Time and Materials), it likely encompassed a broad range of IT support functions. These could include network operations and maintenance, system administration, help desk support, cybersecurity services, software development or sustainment, and IT infrastructure management. The long duration (over 6 years) suggests ongoing operational support rather than a one-time project. Further details would typically be found in the contract's Statement of Work (SOW).

How did the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure impact the final cost compared to a fixed-price contract?

Time and Materials (T&M) contracts allow the government to pay the contractor for direct labor hours at specified hourly rates and for the actual cost of materials. This structure offers flexibility, especially when the scope of work is not well-defined at the outset. However, it carries a higher risk of cost growth for the government compared to fixed-price contracts, as the final cost is not predetermined. For this $35.6 million contract, the final cost would depend heavily on the actual hours worked and materials consumed. Effective oversight, including labor hour tracking and material cost verification, is crucial to control spending under T&M agreements. Without post-award data, it's impossible to definitively say if it was more or less expensive than a hypothetical fixed-price alternative.

What was the track record of CSRA Information Systems LLC with the DoD prior to or during this contract?

CSRA Information Systems LLC, and its predecessor companies, have a long history of serving the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. Prior to and during this 2001-2008 contract, CSRA (or entities that merged to form it) was a significant federal IT contractor. Their track record would typically involve numerous other IT support, systems integration, and technology services contracts across various DoD components. Assessing their specific performance on this particular contract would require reviewing performance evaluations (e.g., Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System - CPARS) if available. Generally, established contractors like CSRA are expected to have a substantial portfolio of relevant experience.

How does the $35.6 million total value compare to other DISA IT contracts awarded around 2001?

In 2001, $35.6 million was a substantial, though not exceptionally large, sum for a multi-year IT services contract within the Department of Defense, particularly for an agency like DISA which manages critical communication and information systems. Larger, enterprise-wide IT procurements or major system development efforts could easily reach hundreds of millions or even billions. However, for a specific support function or a defined set of services over nearly seven years, $35.6 million represents a significant investment. Benchmarking requires comparing it against contracts with similar scope, duration, and service type awarded by DISA or other DoD branches during that period.

What are the potential risks associated with a 2467-day contract duration?

The primary risks associated with a long contract duration like 2467 days (over 6.7 years) include technological obsolescence, potential for scope creep, contractor performance degradation over time, and the government becoming locked into potentially suboptimal solutions or pricing. For this IT contract, technology evolves rapidly, meaning the systems or services supported might become outdated before the contract ends. Ensuring flexibility and incorporating mechanisms for technology refresh or adaptation within the contract terms is crucial. Additionally, maintaining consistent oversight and performance management over such an extended period can be challenging for government program managers.

What does the 'Other' award type (AW: DO) signify in this context?

The 'Other' award type, indicated by 'DO', is not a standard, universally defined category within federal procurement databases like FPDS. It often signifies a specific type of action or authority used by the agency that doesn't fit neatly into common classifications like 'Definitive Contract' or 'Purchase Order'. In the context of the Department of Defense, 'DO' could potentially relate to specific authorities or classifications unique to defense contracting, or it might be a legacy code. Without further context or agency-specific definitions, its precise meaning remains unclear, but it suggests a non-standard award mechanism was employed.

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 2

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Computer Sciences Corporation (UEI: 009581091)

Address: 15000 CONFERENCE CENTER D, CHANTILLY, VA, 90

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business

Contract Characteristics

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: DCA20099D5011

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline