GAO awards $632K contract to S&P Global for nursing home merger data, impacting web search portals
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $632,695 ($632.7K)
Contractor: S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC
Awarding Agency: Government Accountability Office
Start Date: 2022-06-28
End Date: 2026-06-27
Contract Duration: 1,460 days
Daily Burn Rate: $433/day
Competition Type: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: NURSING HOME MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS
Place of Performance
Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK County, NEW YORK, 10041
State: New York Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Government Accountability Office obligated $632,695 to S&P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE LLC for work described as: NURSING HOME MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS Key points: 1. Contract awarded for specialized data crucial for understanding healthcare market dynamics. 2. Focus on nursing home mergers and acquisitions suggests a need for granular market intelligence. 3. The award to S&P Global indicates reliance on established data providers for critical insights. 4. Contract duration of 1460 days allows for comprehensive data collection and analysis. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 519130 points to a focus on information services. 6. Fixed-price contract type suggests predictable costs for the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of $632,695 over approximately four years for specialized data services appears reasonable given the niche nature of nursing home merger and acquisition intelligence. Benchmarking against similar data acquisition contracts is challenging due to the specificity of the requirement. However, S&P Global is a reputable provider of financial and market data, suggesting a competitive price for the quality and scope of information delivered.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was competed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), indicating a full and open competition for contracts below a certain threshold. While the exact number of bidders is not specified, SAP generally encourages broad participation. This competitive process likely contributed to achieving a fair market price for the data services.
Taxpayer Impact: A competed award under SAP ensures that taxpayer funds are used efficiently by leveraging market competition to secure the best value.
Public Impact
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) benefits from access to critical data for its oversight and investigative functions. The data will support analysis of the nursing home sector, potentially influencing policy and regulatory recommendations. The contract's impact is primarily national, providing insights into a significant segment of the healthcare industry. Workforce implications are minimal, as this is a data acquisition contract rather than a service requiring extensive personnel.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for data vendor lock-in if future needs arise.
- Reliance on a single vendor for highly specific market intelligence.
Positive Signals
- Award to a well-established data provider ensures data quality and reliability.
- Fixed-price contract provides cost certainty for the duration of the award.
- Competition under SAP suggests a fair market price was achieved.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the broader information services sector, specifically focusing on financial and market data related to healthcare. The market for specialized business intelligence and data analytics is substantial, with companies like S&P Global playing a key role in aggregating and analyzing complex datasets. The spending here is a small component of overall federal IT and data services procurement, but critical for targeted analysis.
Small Business Impact
There is no indication that this contract included a small business set-aside. Given the specialized nature of the data and the provider, it is likely that larger, established firms were best positioned to meet the requirements. Subcontracting opportunities are not explicitly mentioned but would depend on S&P Global's internal practices.
Oversight & Accountability
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) itself is an oversight body, suggesting a high level of internal scrutiny for this contract. The award is a purchase order, which typically involves standard procurement processes and documentation. Transparency is maintained through public contract databases, and accountability rests with the GAO's program managers.
Related Government Programs
- Healthcare Market Analysis
- Healthcare Data Services
- Business Intelligence Procurement
- Government Data Acquisition
Risk Flags
- Data Accuracy and Completeness
- Vendor Lock-in Potential
- Reliance on Third-Party Data
Tags
healthcare, data-services, government-accountability-office, purchase-order, competed, fixed-price, market-intelligence, nursing-home, mergers-and-acquisitions, new-york, mid-size-contract
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Government Accountability Office awarded $632,695 to S&P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE LLC. NURSING HOME MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is S&P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Government Accountability Office (GAO, Except Comptroller General).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $632,695.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2022-06-28. End: 2026-06-27.
What is the specific nature of the nursing home merger and acquisition data being procured?
The contract specifies data related to 'NURSING HOME MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS'. While the exact granularity is not detailed in the provided summary, it likely includes information on deal volume, transaction values, key players involved (buyers and sellers), geographic distribution of mergers, and potentially financial performance indicators of acquired entities. This type of data is crucial for the GAO to analyze market trends, identify potential antitrust concerns, assess the financial health of the sector, and inform policy recommendations related to healthcare consolidation.
How does the cost of this contract compare to similar data acquisition efforts by the government?
Direct comparison is difficult due to the highly specialized nature of nursing home M&A data. However, the total award of $632,695 over four years equates to approximately $158,174 annually. This figure needs to be assessed against the cost of acquiring similar niche datasets from other providers or developing such capabilities internally. Given S&P Global's market position, the price is likely competitive for the unique insights provided, but a broader benchmark against other specialized data procurements would offer more context on value for money.
What are the potential risks associated with relying on S&P Global Market Intelligence for this data?
Potential risks include over-reliance on a single data source, which could lead to blind spots if the vendor's data collection methodology has limitations or biases. There's also a risk of data obsolescence if not updated frequently or accurately. Furthermore, if S&P Global's business strategy changes, it could impact data availability or pricing in the future. Ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and timely delivery through clear contract terms and performance monitoring are key mitigation strategies.
How effective is the Government Accountability Office (GAO) likely to be in utilizing this data for its mission?
The GAO's mission is to support Congress in oversight and accountability. Access to detailed nursing home M&A data is highly relevant for analyzing market concentration, potential impacts on care quality and costs, and identifying areas for legislative or regulatory intervention. The effectiveness will depend on the GAO's internal analytical capacity to process and interpret the data, integrate it with other information sources, and translate findings into actionable recommendations. The contract's duration suggests a commitment to sustained analysis.
What are historical spending patterns for similar data acquisition contracts by the GAO or other federal agencies?
Historical spending on specialized data acquisition by federal agencies varies widely depending on the sector and the nature of the data. Agencies like the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and HHS often procure market intelligence related to mergers and acquisitions across various industries. While specific figures for nursing home M&A data are not readily available, federal spending on market research and data services is in the billions annually. This $632K contract represents a focused investment within that larger landscape.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Information › Other Information Services › Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
Solicitation ID: 05GA0A22Q0012
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 55 WATER ST FL 40, NEW YORK, NY, 10041
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $819,485
Exercised Options: $632,695
Current Obligation: $632,695
Actual Outlays: $174,570
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Timeline
Start Date: 2022-06-28
Current End Date: 2026-06-27
Potential End Date: 2027-06-27 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-09
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