DOJ's FBI awards $1.6M contract for health and travel information services to Shoreland Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $161,650 ($161.7K)

Contractor: Shoreland Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Justice

Start Date: 2022-07-31

End Date: 2027-07-30

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $89/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: TRAVAX BY SHORELAND IS A COMPUTER RESOURCE/SUBSCRIPTION LICENSE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND OVERSEAS TRAVELERS. IT INCOPERATES HEALTH AND TRAVEL INFORMAITON FROM CDC, WHO, US DOS AND OTHER US RESOURCES.

Place of Performance

Location: MILWAUKEE, MILWAUKEE County, WISCONSIN, 53226

State: Wisconsin Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Justice obligated $161,650 to SHORELAND INC for work described as: TRAVAX BY SHORELAND IS A COMPUTER RESOURCE/SUBSCRIPTION LICENSE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND OVERSEAS TRAVELERS. IT INCOPERATES HEALTH AND TRAVEL INFORMAITON FROM CDC, WHO, US DOS AND OTHER US RESOURCES. Key points: 1. Contract provides critical health and travel data for professionals and travelers. 2. Sole-source award raises questions about potential cost savings through competition. 3. Long contract duration of five years may not reflect evolving information needs. 4. Fixed-price contract type offers cost certainty but limits flexibility. 5. The service supports informed decision-making for personnel operating in diverse environments. 6. Information sourced from reputable organizations like CDC, WHO, and US DOS.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $1.6 million over five years appears reasonable for a specialized information service. However, without competitive bidding, it's difficult to benchmark against market rates or assess if this represents the best value for the government. The fixed-price nature provides cost predictability, but the lack of competition prevents a thorough value-for-money assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not competed. This suggests that the FBI may have determined that only Shoreland Inc. could provide the specific TRAVAX service required, possibly due to proprietary technology or unique data integration. The lack of competition limits the government's ability to solicit multiple bids and potentially negotiate a lower price.

Taxpayer Impact: Sole-source awards mean taxpayers may not benefit from the cost reductions typically achieved through competitive bidding processes. This could result in a higher overall expenditure for the service than if multiple vendors had competed.

Public Impact

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel benefit from access to up-to-date health and travel information. Overseas travelers, including government employees and potentially their families, receive critical safety and health advisories. The service supports the operational readiness and safety of individuals deployed to various international locations. Information provided aids in disease prevention, security awareness, and logistical planning for travel.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition may lead to higher costs for taxpayers.
Sole-source award limits opportunities for other vendors to provide similar services.
Long-term contract duration might not adapt to rapidly changing global health and travel landscapes.

Positive Signals

Provides access to essential, curated health and travel information from authoritative sources.
Supports the safety and well-being of government personnel operating internationally.
Fixed-price contract offers budget certainty for the FBI.

Sector Analysis

The market for specialized information services, particularly those aggregating data from multiple authoritative sources like health and travel advisories, is niche. This contract falls within the broader IT and information services sector, specifically focusing on data aggregation and dissemination for a specialized user base. Comparable spending would likely be within government contracts for intelligence, situational awareness, or specialized data subscriptions.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not competed and does not appear to have a small business set-aside. There is no indication of subcontracting requirements for small businesses. Therefore, this award does not directly impact the small business ecosystem or provide opportunities for small business participation.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under the Department of Justice's internal procurement and contract management processes, specifically within the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Transparency is limited due to the sole-source nature of the award. Accountability would be measured by the continued availability and accuracy of the TRAVAX service as per the contract's terms and conditions.

Related Government Programs

Department of State Travel Advisories
CDC Travel Health Information
World Health Organization (WHO) Data
Government Employee Travel Services

Risk Flags

Sole-source award lacks competitive pricing.
Long contract duration may not align with evolving information needs.
Potential for vendor lock-in due to specialized service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Justice awarded $161,650 to SHORELAND INC. TRAVAX BY SHORELAND IS A COMPUTER RESOURCE/SUBSCRIPTION LICENSE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND OVERSEAS TRAVELERS. IT INCOPERATES HEALTH AND TRAVEL INFORMAITON FROM CDC, WHO, US DOS AND OTHER US RESOURCES.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is SHORELAND INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $161,650.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2022-07-31. End: 2027-07-30.

What is the specific nature of the TRAVAX service provided by Shoreland Inc. and why is it considered unique?

TRAVAX by Shoreland Inc. is a computer resource and subscription license designed to provide health and travel information to professionals and overseas travelers. It aggregates data from authoritative sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and other U.S. government resources. Its uniqueness likely stems from the proprietary integration, curation, and delivery platform that consolidates this diverse information into a user-friendly format tailored for specific government needs, such as risk assessment and operational planning for personnel operating in potentially hazardous or unfamiliar environments.

What are the implications of a sole-source award for this type of service on government spending and efficiency?

A sole-source award, like the one for TRAVAX, bypasses the competitive bidding process. This means the government did not solicit proposals from multiple vendors to compare services and pricing. While this can expedite acquisition when a specific, unique capability is required, it generally leads to higher costs for taxpayers because the absence of competition removes the incentive for vendors to offer their best prices. It also limits opportunities for other qualified companies to compete for government contracts, potentially stifling innovation and market competition in the long run. For this $1.6 million contract, the lack of competition means the FBI cannot be certain they received the most cost-effective solution available.

How does the five-year duration of this contract align with the dynamic nature of global health and travel information?

A five-year contract duration for a service providing global health and travel information presents a potential risk. The landscape of international health threats, political stability, and travel advisories can change rapidly due to unforeseen events like pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, or natural disasters. While the underlying data sources (CDC, WHO, DOS) are continuously updated, a fixed five-year contract might not be agile enough to incorporate significant shifts in information needs or technological advancements in data dissemination. The FBI may find that the service's features or data presentation become outdated before the contract expires, or they might need to rely on costly modifications or separate procurements to adapt.

What is the historical spending pattern for similar health and travel information services by the Department of Justice or FBI?

Detailed historical spending data specifically for health and travel information services by the DOJ or FBI is not readily available in the provided context. However, government agencies frequently procure subscription-based information services, intelligence briefings, and situational awareness tools. Spending on such services can range from thousands to millions of dollars annually, depending on the scope, user base, and criticality. The $1.6 million awarded to Shoreland Inc. over five years ($323,200 annually) appears to be a significant investment for a single, specialized information service, underscoring the importance placed on this data by the FBI. Without comparative data, it's difficult to definitively state if this represents a trend or an outlier.

What are the potential risks associated with relying on a single vendor for critical travel and health intelligence?

Relying on a single vendor for critical travel and health intelligence carries several risks. Firstly, there's the risk of vendor lock-in, where the agency becomes dependent on a specific provider's technology or data format, making it difficult and costly to switch. Secondly, if the vendor experiences financial instability, operational disruptions, or decides to discontinue the service, the agency could face an immediate gap in critical intelligence. Thirdly, as noted, the lack of competition can lead to inflated prices and potentially less innovation compared to a market with multiple competing providers. Finally, the quality and comprehensiveness of the information might be limited by the vendor's capabilities and data access, even if they aggregate from primary sources.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Other Information Services › Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals

Product/Service Code: MEDICAL SERVICES › OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 933 N MAYFAIR RD STE 208, MILWAUKEE, WI, 53226

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $161,650

Exercised Options: $161,650

Current Obligation: $161,650

Actual Outlays: $127,700

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline