Interior's $482K Admin Support Contract Awarded to Cherokee Nation Systems Solutions

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $482,374 ($482.4K)

Contractor: Cherokee Nation System Solutions LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of the Interior

Start Date: 2020-10-01

End Date: 2026-05-31

Contract Duration: 2,068 days

Daily Burn Rate: $233/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS

Sector: Other

Official Description: FY21 ADMIN BUSINESS SUPPORT SPECIALST IV

Place of Performance

Location: SAINT PETERSBURG, PINELLAS County, FLORIDA, 33701

State: Florida Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Interior obligated $482,373.71 to CHEROKEE NATION SYSTEM SOLUTIONS LLC for work described as: FY21 ADMIN BUSINESS SUPPORT SPECIALST IV Key points: 1. Contract focuses on specialized administrative and business support services. 2. Awarded via full and open competition, suggesting a competitive marketplace. 3. Performance period spans over five years, indicating a long-term need. 4. The contract type is a delivery order, implying it's part of a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicle. 5. Services are categorized under 'All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services', a broad category. 6. The contractor, Cherokee Nation Systems Solutions LLC, is a significant player in government contracting. 7. The contract is labor-hour based, which can be flexible but requires careful monitoring of effort.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this specific delivery order is challenging without knowing the broader IDIQ contract's terms and pricing. The total award amount of $482,373.71 over nearly seven years suggests a relatively low annual spend, averaging around $70,000 per year. This appears reasonable for specialized administrative support, but a detailed comparison would require access to the base IDIQ contract and pricing for similar labor categories.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES'. This indicates that while the competition was generally open, there might have been specific exclusions or justifications for not considering all potential sources. The fact that it was competed broadly is positive for price discovery, but the exclusion of sources warrants further investigation into the rationale.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition generally benefits taxpayers by encouraging multiple bidders to offer competitive pricing, potentially leading to cost savings. However, any exclusions could limit the breadth of competition and potentially impact the final price achieved.

Public Impact

Federal agencies, specifically the U.S. Geological Survey (part of the Department of the Interior), benefit from specialized administrative and business support. These services likely contribute to the efficient operation and management of scientific and technical programs. The contract's impact is primarily administrative, supporting the agency's internal functions rather than direct public service delivery. Geographic impact is concentrated in Florida, where the contract is being performed. Workforce implications involve the employment of administrative specialists by the contractor.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of specific performance metrics makes it difficult to assess the quality and efficiency of the administrative support provided.
The broad categorization of services ('All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services') can sometimes obscure the true nature and cost drivers of the work.
The 'after exclusion of sources' clause in the competition type needs clarification to ensure maximum taxpayer value was pursued.

Positive Signals

Awarded through a full and open competition process, indicating a commitment to leveraging market competition.
The contractor, Cherokee Nation Systems Solutions LLC, has a track record in government contracting, suggesting familiarity with federal requirements.
The multi-year performance period (over five years) provides stability for the agency's administrative support needs.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, specifically under administrative and business support. This is a vast sector within federal procurement, encompassing a wide range of specialized services. Comparable spending benchmarks are difficult to establish without more granular detail on the specific administrative functions performed, but overall federal spending on professional services is in the hundreds of billions annually.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to have a small business set-aside (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, it does not directly contribute to small business prime contracting goals. There is no information provided regarding subcontracting plans, so the impact on the small business ecosystem through subcontracting is unknown.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of the Interior's contracting officers and program managers. Transparency is facilitated by contract award databases, but detailed performance reports and specific oversight mechanisms are not publicly available. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Federal Administrative Support Services
Professional and Technical Services
Department of the Interior Contracts
U.S. Geological Survey Support
IDIQ Contract Delivery Orders

Risk Flags

Potential for inefficient labor hour utilization
Ambiguity in service scope due to broad NAICS code
Limited transparency on specific performance metrics
Rationale for 'exclusion of sources' in competition needs clarification

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Interior awarded $482,373.71 to CHEROKEE NATION SYSTEM SOLUTIONS LLC. FY21 ADMIN BUSINESS SUPPORT SPECIALST IV

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is CHEROKEE NATION SYSTEM SOLUTIONS LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Interior (U.S. Geological Survey).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $482,373.71.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-10-01. End: 2026-05-31.

What specific administrative and business support tasks are encompassed by this contract?

The contract falls under NAICS code 541990, 'All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.' While the specific tasks are not detailed in the provided data, this category typically includes services such as general administrative support, business consulting, program management support, and other professional services not elsewhere classified. For this contract, it likely involves supporting the operational and administrative functions of the U.S. Geological Survey, potentially including tasks like data management, report preparation, logistical support, or specialized clerical duties. A deeper dive into the Statement of Work (SOW) for this delivery order would be necessary to ascertain the precise nature of the services.

How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar administrative support contracts?

Direct price comparison is difficult without knowing the specific labor categories, rates, and the base IDIQ contract's pricing structure. The total award of $482,373.71 over approximately 6.8 years (from Oct 2020 to May 2026) suggests an average annual value of roughly $70,000. This appears modest for a multi-year federal contract. However, labor-hour contracts can vary significantly based on the skill level of personnel required. To benchmark effectively, one would need to compare the hourly rates for similar administrative specialist roles within the federal government or with other contractors performing comparable services under similar contract vehicles.

What are the key risks associated with this contract, and how are they being managed?

Key risks include potential cost overruns if labor hours are not managed efficiently, scope creep if the administrative tasks expand beyond the original intent, and performance issues if the contractor fails to deliver adequate support. Given it's a labor-hour contract, the risk of inefficient use of personnel time is present. Management of these risks would typically involve robust oversight by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), regular performance reviews, clear communication channels with the contractor, and adherence to the defined scope of work. The multi-year nature also presents a risk of the services becoming outdated if not regularly reviewed against evolving agency needs.

What is the track record of Cherokee Nation Systems Solutions LLC in performing similar federal contracts?

Cherokee Nation Systems Solutions LLC is a significant government contractor, often performing IT, engineering, and professional services for various federal agencies. While specific performance details for this particular administrative support contract are not publicly detailed, the company's general presence in the federal contracting space suggests a level of experience and capability. Reviews of past performance on similar contracts, if available through federal databases like the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), would provide a more granular understanding of their track record regarding timeliness, cost control, and overall quality of service delivery.

How does this contract fit into the broader spending patterns of the U.S. Geological Survey for administrative support?

This contract represents a relatively small portion of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) overall budget, which typically runs into hundreds of millions of dollars annually for scientific research, data collection, and operational activities. Administrative support is a necessary function across all government agencies, but its direct cost is usually a fraction of the program execution costs. Without historical data on USGS's spending specifically on administrative support services via contract, it's hard to place this $482K award in context. However, it suggests a reliance on external support for certain specialized administrative functions rather than solely internal staffing.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Pricing Type: LABOR HOURS (Z)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Cherokee Nation

Address: 10838 E MARSHALL ST STE 200-A17, TULSA, OK, 74116

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, American Indian Owned Business, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, HUBZone Firm, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Tribally Owned Firm, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $482,374

Exercised Options: $482,374

Current Obligation: $482,374

Actual Outlays: $453,720

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 140G0120D0021

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline