USDA awards $70.4M for armed security services, with 10 orders issued over 5 years

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $70,376,606 ($70.4M)

Contractor: Excalibur Associates Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Agriculture

Start Date: 2020-02-01

End Date: 2025-03-26

Contract Duration: 1,880 days

Daily Burn Rate: $37.4K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 10

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: USDA ARMED SECURITY SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20250

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Agriculture obligated $70.4 million to EXCALIBUR ASSOCIATES INC for work described as: USDA ARMED SECURITY SERVICES Key points: 1. Value for money appears fair given the long-term nature and specialized services. 2. Competition dynamics indicate a healthy market with multiple bidders. 3. Risk indicators are moderate, typical for long-term security contracts. 4. Performance context is established over a multi-year period. 5. Sector positioning is within the essential security services domain. 6. The contract type is firm fixed price, offering cost certainty.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The total award of $70.4 million over approximately five years suggests a significant investment in security. Benchmarking against similar federal contracts for armed security services is challenging without more granular data on service levels and geographic coverage. However, the firm fixed-price structure provides a degree of cost predictability for the agency. The average annual value is roughly $14 million, which seems reasonable for comprehensive security coverage across multiple locations.

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 offers. The presence of 10 delivery orders suggests a robust process for tasking the contractor. While the exact number of bidders for the initial award is not specified, full and open competition generally fosters a competitive environment, which can lead to better pricing and service quality.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from the potential for competitive pricing and a wider pool of qualified contractors vying for the work, ensuring that the government secures services at a reasonable cost.

Public Impact

Federal employees and government facilities are protected by armed security personnel. Ensures the safety and security of USDA operations and assets. Services are primarily delivered within the District of Columbia. Supports jobs in the private security sector, including armed guards.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for over-reliance on a single contractor for critical security functions.
Ensuring consistent quality and performance across all delivery orders.
Managing contract modifications and scope creep over the contract's duration.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive process.
Firm fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty.
Long-term contract allows for stable security planning and operations.

Sector Analysis

The security services sector is a critical component of government operations, ensuring the protection of personnel, facilities, and sensitive information. This contract falls under the Security Guards and Patrol Services industry (NAICS 561612). The federal government is a significant consumer of these services, with spending often concentrated in areas with high government presence. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve analyzing other large federal contracts for similar security services across various agencies and geographic locations.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses, and the contractor, Excalibur Associates Inc., is not explicitly identified as a small business in this context. Therefore, there are no direct small business set-aside implications. However, the prime contractor may have subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, depending on their own business practices and the nature of the services required.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically reside with the Department of Agriculture's contracting officers and program managers responsible for security. The firm fixed-price nature of the contract provides a degree of accountability for the contractor to deliver services within the agreed-upon price. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases and reporting requirements, though specific performance metrics and oversight activities may not be publicly detailed.

Related Government Programs

Federal Protective Service Contracts
Department of Homeland Security Security Services
General Services Administration Security Contracts
Department of Justice Security Services

Risk Flags

Contract duration exceeds 5 years.
High contract value requires robust oversight.
Reliance on a single prime contractor for critical security.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Agriculture awarded $70.4 million to EXCALIBUR ASSOCIATES INC. USDA ARMED SECURITY SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is EXCALIBUR ASSOCIATES INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Agriculture (Office of the Chief Financial Officer).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $70.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-02-01. End: 2025-03-26.

What is the historical spending trend for armed security services by the Department of Agriculture?

Analyzing historical spending for armed security services by the USDA requires access to detailed procurement data over multiple fiscal years. While this specific contract award is for $70.4 million from February 2020 to March 2025, it represents a significant portion of the USDA's security budget during this period. To understand the trend, one would need to aggregate all contracts related to security services, including armed guards, access control, and alarm monitoring, across all USDA agencies. This would reveal whether spending has been increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable, and identify any major shifts in procurement strategies or service needs. Without broader historical data, it's difficult to place this single large award into a long-term spending context.

How does the pricing of Excalibur Associates Inc. compare to other federal security service providers?

Directly comparing the pricing of Excalibur Associates Inc. for this USDA contract to other federal security service providers is challenging without detailed cost breakdowns and service level agreements. The contract is firm fixed-price, which means the price is set regardless of the actual costs incurred by the contractor. To benchmark effectively, one would need to compare the per-hour rates, per-guard costs, or other unit pricing metrics against similar contracts awarded by other federal agencies for comparable services (e.g., armed guards in similar urban environments). Factors like geographic location, required security clearances, equipment, and specific duties significantly influence pricing. A comprehensive analysis would involve reviewing multiple solicitations and awards in the security services category to identify market rates.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to evaluate Excalibur Associates Inc.'s performance?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for federal security contracts typically focus on aspects such as response times to incidents, guard presence and punctuality, adherence to post orders, incident reporting accuracy, and overall effectiveness in preventing unauthorized access or security breaches. For this specific contract with the USDA, the performance evaluation would likely be detailed in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contracting officer's representative (COR) would be responsible for monitoring these KPIs and ensuring the contractor meets the required standards. Failure to meet KPIs could result in contract deficiencies, penalties, or even termination. While specific KPIs are not publicly listed with the award data, they are crucial for ensuring the value and effectiveness of the security services provided.

What is the track record of Excalibur Associates Inc. with federal contracts, particularly in security services?

Excalibur Associates Inc. has a track record of performing federal contracts, including those in security services. Publicly available data, such as the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), indicates that the company has been awarded numerous contracts across various federal agencies. For this specific USDA contract, the issuance of 10 delivery orders suggests a level of ongoing engagement and presumably satisfactory performance to warrant tasking. A deeper dive into their contract history would reveal the types of services provided, the value of past awards, and any reported performance issues or accolades. Generally, companies that consistently win and perform on federal contracts demonstrate a capacity to meet government requirements and navigate the complexities of federal procurement.

How does the duration and value of this contract compare to typical federal armed security service agreements?

This contract, valued at approximately $70.4 million and spanning from February 2020 to March 2025 (a period of roughly 5 years and 2 months), is substantial. Federal armed security service agreements can vary widely in duration and value depending on the agency, location, and scope of services. Large, multi-year contracts like this one are common for agencies requiring continuous, high-level security coverage for significant facilities or operations. The value suggests a comprehensive service package, potentially covering multiple sites or extensive operational hours. Shorter-term or smaller contracts might focus on specific events or smaller facilities. This award appears to be within the upper range for significant, long-term security service needs.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Investigation and Security Services › Security Guards and Patrol Services

Product/Service Code: UTILITIES AND HOUSEKEEPING › HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 12314420Q0004

Offers Received: 10

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1713 S LOIS AVE STE 200, TAMPA, FL, 33629

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $70,456,312

Exercised Options: $70,456,312

Current Obligation: $70,376,606

Actual Outlays: $70,426,606

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS07F0227W

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline