Commerce Buys 2 Drones for $550,900, Competed Under SAP
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $55,090 ($55.1K)
Contractor: Impulseradar USA, Inc.
Awarding Agency: Department of Commerce
Start Date: 2026-04-01
End Date: 2026-04-30
Contract Duration: 29 days
Daily Burn Rate: $1.9K/day
Competition Type: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Number of Offers Received: 30
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: TWO (2) BRAND NAME OR EQUAL FREEFLY ASTRO MAX NDAA/BLUE QUADCOPTER UNCREWED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS; AKA DRONES)
Place of Performance
Location: RAVENEL, CHARLESTON County, SOUTH CAROLINA, 29470
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Commerce obligated $55,090 to IMPULSERADAR USA, INC. for work described as: TWO (2) BRAND NAME OR EQUAL FREEFLY ASTRO MAX NDAA/BLUE QUADCOPTER UNCREWED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS; AKA DRONES) Key points: 1. High per-unit cost for specialized drones. 2. Competition was limited under SAP, potentially impacting price discovery. 3. Risk of overpaying due to limited competition and brand name specification. 4. Sector: Aircraft Manufacturing, with potential IT/surveillance applications.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The per-unit cost of $275,450 is significantly higher than commercial drones. While specialized, the brand name or equal specification and limited competition raise concerns about value for money.
Cost Per Unit: $275,450
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: limited
The contract was competed under SAP (Simplified Acquisition Procedures), which typically involves fewer vendors and less rigorous price competition. The 'brand name or equal' clause can also limit competition if not carefully managed.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be overpaying due to limited competition and the potential for a premium price on a specific brand.
Public Impact
Procurement of advanced drone technology for government use. Potential applications in environmental monitoring, disaster response, or other NOAA missions. Focus on specific 'Freefly Astro Max' model may limit broader market access.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Brand name or equal specification
- Limited competition under SAP
- High per-unit cost
Positive Signals
- Purchase of advanced technology
- Firm fixed price contract
Sector Analysis
The Aircraft Manufacturing sector is diverse, with high-end uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) representing a specialized niche. Benchmarks for similar government UAS procurements are difficult to ascertain without more detail on technical specifications, but this unit price appears high.
Small Business Impact
The data does not indicate whether small businesses were involved in this procurement. The 'brand name or equal' specification could potentially favor larger manufacturers.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight is needed to ensure the 'equal' products offered meet the performance requirements of the specified brand and that the pricing is justified given the limited competition.
Related Government Programs
- Aircraft Manufacturing
- Department of Commerce Contracting
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Potential for overpayment due to brand name specification.
- Limited competition may not yield best value.
- Lack of detailed technical specifications makes benchmarking difficult.
- High per-unit cost warrants further scrutiny.
Tags
aircraft-manufacturing, department-of-commerce, sc, purchase-order, under-100k
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Commerce awarded $55,090 to IMPULSERADAR USA, INC.. TWO (2) BRAND NAME OR EQUAL FREEFLY ASTRO MAX NDAA/BLUE QUADCOPTER UNCREWED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS; AKA DRONES)
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is IMPULSERADAR USA, INC..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $55,090.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2026-04-01. End: 2026-04-30.
What specific capabilities justify the high per-unit cost of these drones compared to other advanced UAS on the market?
The high cost likely stems from specialized features such as advanced sensor integration, extended flight times, high payload capacity, and robust construction required for specific NOAA missions. Without detailed technical specifications, it's difficult to definitively benchmark against market alternatives, but the 'brand name or equal' clause suggests a focus on a particular performance tier.
How was the 'equal' product evaluated to ensure it met the performance standards of the 'Freefly Astro Max'?
The evaluation process for 'equal' products typically involves a technical review by the agency to verify that the proposed alternative meets or exceeds the specified performance, design, and essential physical characteristics. Documentation, testing, and vendor demonstrations may be part of this process to ensure the government receives the required capabilities.
What is the anticipated return on investment or mission effectiveness for these drones?
The return on investment is tied to the specific NOAA missions these drones will support, such as enhanced data collection for environmental monitoring, improved situational awareness during natural disasters, or more efficient surveying. Quantifying ROI requires understanding the cost savings or improved outcomes compared to previous methods or the value of the data acquired.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Manufacturing › Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing › Aircraft Manufacturing
Product/Service Code: AEROSPACE CRAFT AND STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
Solicitation ID: 1305M226Q0070
Offers Received: 30
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 4509 SAVANNAH HWY STE 18, RAVENEL, SC, 29470
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Foreign Owned, Foreign-Owned and U.S.-Incorporated Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $55,090
Exercised Options: $55,090
Current Obligation: $55,090
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Timeline
Start Date: 2026-04-01
Current End Date: 2026-04-30
Potential End Date: 2026-04-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-01
Other Department of Commerce Contracts
- THE Purpose of This Contract IS to Develop the Ground System That Will Support Noaa S Next Generation Geostationary Satellite Series, Goes-R. This NEW Series of Spacecraft, SET to Begin Launching in 2015, IS Expected to Double the Clarity of Today S Satellite Imagery and Provide AT Least 20 Times More Atmospheric Observations From Space. the Contractor IS to Design, Develop, Test and Implement the Goes-R Ground System. the Ground System Will Capture Data From the Goes-R Satellites, and Process and Distribute the Information to Operational Users — $1.8B (L3harris Technologies, Inc.)
- Engineering Services and Development Leading to the Delivery of the Jpss Common Ground System Instrument and Support — $1.6B (Raytheon Company)
- Enterprise Solutions Framework (ESF) for Multi-Tiered Acquisition Framework for Systems Engineering and Integration - Program Tier Work Order 003 - 2020 Census Technical Integrator — $1.5B (T-Rex Solutions LLC)
- THE Goal of the Decennial Response Integration System (dris) Contract IS to Obtain a Practical Solution to Providing Respondent Assistance and Data Capture for the 2010 Census — $930.7M (Lockheed Martin Services, LLC)
- 2020 Census Questionnaire Assistance (2020 CQA) — $918.3M (Maximus Federal Services, Inc.)