Agriculture Department awards $693K contract for historic preservation support to Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $693,568 ($693.6K)

Contractor: Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Agriculture

Start Date: 2024-09-30

End Date: 2026-09-29

Contract Duration: 729 days

Daily Burn Rate: $951/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUPPORT SPECIALIST/REALITY SPECIALIST

Place of Performance

Location: BELTSVILLE, PRINCE GEORGES County, MARYLAND, 20705

State: Maryland Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Agriculture obligated $693,568.36 to INNOVATIVE CONSULTING & MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC for work described as: FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUPPORT SPECIALIST/REALITY SPECIALIST Key points: 1. Contract awarded via BPA Call, indicating a pre-competed framework. 2. Firm Fixed Price contract type suggests cost certainty for the government. 3. Duration of 729 days provides a stable period for service delivery. 4. The contractor, Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC, is the sole awardee for this specific call. 5. Services are categorized under Facilities Support Services, aligning with operational needs. 6. The contract is not set aside for small businesses, suggesting a focus on specialized capabilities.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $693,568.36 for a 729-day period appears reasonable for specialized historic preservation support. Benchmarking against similar contracts for professional services in facilities support and historic preservation would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment. The firm fixed-price structure helps manage cost risks for the agency. Without specific performance metrics or detailed cost breakdowns, a definitive assessment of optimal value is challenging, but the award appears to be within a typical range for such specialized expertise.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under 'Full and Open Competition' via a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call. This indicates that the initial BPA was competed broadly, and this call order was likely placed against that established competitive agreement. While the specific number of bidders for this call order is not provided, the 'Full and Open' designation suggests a robust initial competition for the BPA, which generally leads to better price discovery and a wider pool of potential contractors.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition process, even at the BPA level, generally benefits taxpayers by ensuring a competitive environment that drives down prices and encourages efficiency among contractors vying for government work.

Public Impact

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) benefits from specialized expertise in historic preservation, ensuring compliance and proper management of historical assets. Services delivered include professional historic preservation support and potentially reality specialist functions, crucial for maintaining the integrity of historical sites or structures. The geographic impact is likely focused on facilities managed by the Department of Agriculture, potentially across various ARS locations. Workforce implications may involve specialized consultants or firms contributing to the preservation of national heritage assets.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if requirements are not clearly defined within the BPA call.
Dependence on a single contractor for specialized services could pose a risk if performance issues arise.
Ensuring consistent application of preservation standards across different ARS facilities.

Positive Signals

Firm Fixed Price contract provides cost predictability.
Award through a BPA suggests prior vetting and competition for the base agreement.
The duration allows for sustained support and project continuity.
Specialized nature of the service indicates a focus on critical preservation needs.

Sector Analysis

The Facilities Support Services sector encompasses a wide range of services essential for the operation and maintenance of government facilities. Historic preservation, a niche within this sector, requires specialized knowledge of architectural history, conservation techniques, and regulatory compliance. The market for these services includes architecture firms, engineering companies, and specialized consulting groups. The contract value is modest within the broader context of federal facilities spending, but significant for the specific expertise required.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not set aside for small businesses, and the data does not indicate any subcontracting requirements. This suggests that the primary contractor, Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC, is either a large business or a small business that won the contract outside of a specific set-aside program. The lack of a small business set-aside means that opportunities for small businesses to participate in this specific contract are limited unless they are part of the prime contractor's subcontracting plan, which is not detailed here.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS). As a BPA Call order, the initial BPA likely had established oversight mechanisms. The firm fixed-price nature of the contract provides a degree of cost control. Transparency is facilitated by federal contract databases, but detailed performance reviews and specific oversight activities are typically internal to the agency. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Federal Historic Preservation Program
National Register of Historic Places
Facilities Management Contracts
Professional and Technical Services

Risk Flags

Potential for performance issues due to specialized nature of services.
Risk of scope creep impacting budget and timeline.
Dependence on a single contractor for critical preservation functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Agriculture awarded $693,568.36 to INNOVATIVE CONSULTING & MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC. FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUPPORT SPECIALIST/REALITY SPECIALIST

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is INNOVATIVE CONSULTING & MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Agriculture (Agricultural Research Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $693,568.36.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-09-30. End: 2026-09-29.

What is the track record of Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC with federal historic preservation contracts?

A review of federal procurement data indicates that Innovative Consulting & Management Services, LLC has been awarded contracts across various federal agencies, including those related to professional and technical support services. Specific details regarding their historical performance on federal historic preservation contracts would require a deeper dive into contract performance reports and agency-specific databases. However, their presence in the federal contracting space suggests some level of established capability. Further analysis would involve examining past performance evaluations, any past performance issues, and the types of preservation services they have previously provided to government entities to assess their suitability and experience for this specific role.

How does the awarded value compare to similar historic preservation support contracts?

The awarded value of $693,568.36 for approximately two years of full-time professional historic preservation support is within a reasonable range for specialized consulting services. However, a precise benchmark requires comparing it to contracts with similar scopes of work, geographic locations, and contractor experience levels. Contracts for architectural history surveys, National Register nominations, or historic structure reports can vary significantly in price based on the complexity and scale of the historic resources involved. Without access to a detailed breakdown of the specific tasks and deliverables for this contract, it's difficult to provide an exact per-unit cost comparison. Generally, firm-fixed-price contracts aim to provide good value by shifting cost risk to the contractor.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract?

Key risks for this contract include potential performance deficiencies if the contractor lacks the specialized expertise required for nuanced historic preservation issues, leading to non-compliance or damage to historical assets. Scope creep is another risk, where the requirements may expand beyond the initial agreement, potentially leading to cost overruns if not managed carefully, despite the firm-fixed-price structure. Dependence on a single contractor for critical preservation functions could also pose a risk if the contractor experiences financial instability or personnel turnover. Ensuring consistent application of preservation standards across potentially diverse ARS facilities managed by the contractor also presents a challenge.

How effective is the competition level in ensuring value for taxpayers?

The contract was awarded under 'Full and Open Competition' via a BPA Call. This indicates that the initial BPA was competed broadly, and this call order was likely placed against that established competitive agreement. While the specific number of bidders for this call order is not provided, the 'Full and Open' designation suggests a robust initial competition for the BPA. This competitive environment generally benefits taxpayers by driving down prices and encouraging efficiency among contractors. However, the true measure of value is realized through effective performance management and ensuring the services delivered meet the agency's preservation objectives.

What is the historical spending pattern for historic preservation support within the Department of Agriculture?

Analyzing historical spending patterns for historic preservation support within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) would involve examining procurement data over several fiscal years. This would reveal trends in contract awards, typical contract values, and the agencies or offices within USDA that most frequently procure such services. Understanding these patterns can help identify whether this $693K award is consistent with past investments, unusually high or low, and whether there's a concentrated reliance on specific contractors or contract vehicles. Such analysis is crucial for strategic budgeting and identifying potential efficiencies or areas for increased investment in preservation efforts.

What are the potential implications of the 'Facilities Support Services' NAICS code for this contract?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 561210, 'Facilities Support Services,' broadly covers establishments that provide a wide range of support services for other establishments, such as building operation and maintenance, security, property management, and similar support functions. For this contract, which specifically focuses on historic preservation support, this NAICS code indicates that the services are integrated into the broader operational and maintenance framework of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facilities. While the code is general, the contract's specific description clarifies the specialized nature of the support, ensuring that the contractor's expertise is focused on preservation rather than general facility upkeep.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Facilities Support Services › Facilities Support Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 1232SA24Q0075

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 9600 BLACKWELL RD STE 210, ROCKVILLE, MD, 20850

Business Categories: Category Business, Hispanic American Owned Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $1,197,349

Exercised Options: $693,568

Current Obligation: $693,568

Actual Outlays: $261,800

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 12905B23A0001

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline