NOAA Awards $244K for Fisheries Modeling Services to Ocean Associates Inc
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $244,286 ($244.3K)
Contractor: Ocean Associates Inc
Awarding Agency: Department of Commerce
Start Date: 2023-10-01
End Date: 2027-06-30
Contract Duration: 1,368 days
Daily Burn Rate: $179/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 5
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: FISHERIES MODELING BASE YEAR
Place of Performance
Location: SEATTLE, KING County, WASHINGTON, 98112
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Commerce obligated $244,286.4 to OCEAN ASSOCIATES INC for work described as: FISHERIES MODELING BASE YEAR Key points: 1. Contract awarded for essential fisheries modeling, supporting NOAA's scientific mission. 2. Ocean Associates Inc. secured the contract, indicating potential specialization in this niche. 3. The contract's value is relatively small, suggesting a focused scope or a base year. 4. Analysis of similar contracts is needed to fully assess value and competition. 5. The 'All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services' NAICS code is broad.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $244,286.40 appears modest for a multi-year service contract. Benchmarking against similar fisheries modeling contracts would be necessary to determine if this pricing is competitive or reflects a specific, limited scope of work.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, which generally promotes competitive pricing. However, the specific details of the bidding process and the number of bids received are not provided, limiting a full assessment of price discovery.
Taxpayer Impact: The taxpayer impact is minimal given the relatively small contract value. The investment is directed towards scientific services crucial for fisheries management.
Public Impact
Supports critical scientific research for sustainable fisheries management. Ensures continued data analysis and modeling for oceanic resource protection. Potential for follow-on work if base year services prove valuable.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of detailed scope of work for the base year.
- Broad NAICS code may obscure specific service costs.
- Limited information on the number of bidders.
Positive Signals
- Awarded under full and open competition.
- Contract supports vital scientific and environmental services.
- Firm fixed price contract provides cost certainty.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under professional, scientific, and technical services, specifically related to environmental and oceanic research. Spending in this sector is often driven by regulatory requirements and scientific advancement, with contract values varying widely based on project complexity.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was not awarded to a small business (ss: false, sb: false). Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses had the opportunity to compete or if subcontracting opportunities exist.
Oversight & Accountability
The contract is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a well-established agency with existing oversight mechanisms. The firm fixed price structure provides a degree of financial accountability.
Related Government Programs
- All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Department of Commerce Contracting
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of detailed scope of work.
- Broad NAICS code.
- No information on number of bids received.
- Small business participation not indicated.
Tags
all-other-professional-scientific-and-te, department-of-commerce, wa, delivery-order, 100k-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Commerce awarded $244,286.4 to OCEAN ASSOCIATES INC. FISHERIES MODELING BASE YEAR
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is OCEAN ASSOCIATES 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 $244,286.4.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2023-10-01. End: 2027-06-30.
What specific fisheries modeling tasks are included in this base year contract, and how do they align with NOAA's strategic objectives?
The provided data lacks specifics on the exact modeling tasks. However, given NOAA's mission, these likely involve data analysis, predictive modeling for fish stock assessments, and potentially supporting environmental impact studies. Alignment with strategic objectives would require reviewing NOAA's current research priorities and management plans for marine resources.
What is the typical cost range for similar fisheries modeling contracts, and how does this award compare?
Without access to a comprehensive database of similar contracts, a precise benchmark is difficult. However, $244k for a base year suggests a focused scope. Larger, multi-year modeling efforts can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on complexity, data requirements, and duration.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract, and how will their achievement be measured to ensure effectiveness?
Key performance indicators are not detailed in the provided data. Typically, for scientific services, KPIs might include the accuracy of model predictions, timeliness of deliverables, adherence to scientific methodologies, and the usability of the final modeling outputs for decision-making by NOAA.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVERVAT SVCS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY
Offers Received: 5
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 4007 N ABINGDON ST, ARLINGTON, VA, 22207
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $244,286
Exercised Options: $244,286
Current Obligation: $244,286
Actual Outlays: $112,920
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 1305M418DNFFK0010
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2023-10-01
Current End Date: 2027-06-30
Potential End Date: 2027-06-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-03
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.)