Department of Labor awards $115K for digital newspaper subscriptions and data analytics

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $114,949 ($114.9K)

Contractor: Proquest LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Labor

Start Date: 2023-07-01

End Date: 2026-06-30

Contract Duration: 1,095 days

Daily Burn Rate: $105/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: THE WIRTZ LABOR LIBRARY ONLINE DATABASES SUBSCRIPTIONS: INTERNATIONAL AND US DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS WITH DATA ANALYTICS TOOL.

Place of Performance

Location: ANN ARBOR, WASHTENAW County, MICHIGAN, 48108

State: Michigan Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Labor obligated $114,949.11 to PROQUEST LLC for work described as: THE WIRTZ LABOR LIBRARY ONLINE DATABASES SUBSCRIPTIONS: INTERNATIONAL AND US DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS WITH DATA ANALYTICS TOOL. Key points: 1. The contract provides access to international and US digital newspapers with data analytics capabilities. 2. The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny regarding potential cost savings through competition. 3. The duration of the contract (3 years) suggests a need for sustained access to these resources. 4. The fixed-price contract type offers cost certainty for the government. 5. The specific value-for-money assessment is limited without comparable contract data. 6. The agency's reliance on a single vendor for these specialized resources may indicate limited market alternatives.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of approximately $115,000 over three years for digital newspaper subscriptions and data analytics appears reasonable for specialized information services. However, without direct comparisons to similar government or commercial contracts for comparable databases and analytics tools, a definitive value-for-money assessment is challenging. The fixed-price nature provides budget predictability. The absence of competition, however, raises questions about whether the government secured the best possible pricing.

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 approach is typically used when only one vendor can provide the required goods or services, or in cases of urgent need. The lack of competition means that the Department of Labor did not explore potential alternative vendors or negotiate pricing based on multiple bids, which could potentially lead to higher costs than if the contract had been competed.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be paying a premium due to the absence of competitive bidding. Without exploring other options, it's difficult to ascertain if a more cost-effective solution was available.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are likely researchers, analysts, and policymakers within the Department of Labor who require access to up-to-date news and data for informed decision-making. The services delivered include access to a comprehensive collection of digital newspapers and a tool for data analysis. The geographic impact is national, supporting the Department's operations across the United States. Workforce implications include enabling staff to conduct research, monitor trends, and analyze economic and labor-related information.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition may result in suboptimal pricing.
Dependence on a single vendor could pose risks if the vendor's service quality declines or pricing increases significantly in the future.
The specific data analytics capabilities and their effectiveness are not detailed, making it hard to assess full utility.

Positive Signals

Provides access to valuable information resources for policy and research.
The fixed-price contract offers budget certainty.
The contract duration allows for sustained use of the resources.

Sector Analysis

The market for digital news aggregation and data analytics tools is diverse, with numerous providers offering varying levels of service and pricing. This contract falls within the broader information services sector, specifically catering to the need for timely news and analytical capabilities. Comparable spending benchmarks are difficult to establish without knowing the exact scope of the databases and the sophistication of the analytics tool. However, government agencies frequently procure such resources to support research and policy analysis.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to involve any small business set-asides or subcontracting requirements. The award to ProQuest LLC, a large established company, suggests that small businesses were not a primary consideration for this specific procurement. The impact on the small business ecosystem is therefore negligible for this particular contract.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the Department of Labor's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM). Accountability measures are inherent in the contract terms, requiring ProQuest LLC to deliver the specified services. Transparency is facilitated by the contract's public availability, allowing for review of its terms and conditions. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected.

Related Government Programs

Federal Depository Library Program
Government Publishing Office (GPO) resources
LexisNexis and Westlaw subscriptions (if applicable to other agencies)
Bloomberg Government services

Risk Flags

Sole-source award lacks competition
Potential for overpayment due to lack of bidding
Vendor lock-in risk

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Labor awarded $114,949.11 to PROQUEST LLC. THE WIRTZ LABOR LIBRARY ONLINE DATABASES SUBSCRIPTIONS: INTERNATIONAL AND US DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS WITH DATA ANALYTICS TOOL.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PROQUEST LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Labor (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $114,949.11.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-07-01. End: 2026-06-30.

What is the track record of ProQuest LLC in providing similar services to federal agencies?

ProQuest LLC is a well-established provider of research databases and information services, serving academic, public, and government libraries worldwide. They offer a wide range of digital content, including newspapers, journals, dissertations, and other scholarly materials, often bundled with research and analytics tools. While specific details of their past federal contracts are not provided in this data, ProQuest is a known entity in the information services market. Their experience suggests a capacity to meet the needs of government agencies requiring access to extensive digital archives and analytical platforms. However, the absence of specific performance data for this contract or similar federal engagements makes it difficult to definitively assess their track record in this context.

How does the pricing of this contract compare to similar government or commercial offerings?

Direct comparison of the pricing for this contract is challenging without more specific details on the scope of the digital newspapers and the advanced features of the data analytics tool. ProQuest offers various subscription tiers and packages. The $115,000 over three years (approximately $38,333 annually) for a sole-source award suggests a potentially premium price point, as competitive bidding often drives down costs. To benchmark effectively, one would need to identify comparable contracts for similar database access and analytics software from other vendors (e.g., LexisNexis, Dow Jones Factiva, Bloomberg) or assess ProQuest's commercial pricing for equivalent services. The lack of competition inherently limits the ability to confirm if this represents the best value.

What are the primary risks associated with this sole-source contract?

The primary risks associated with this sole-source contract stem from the lack of competition. Firstly, there is a risk of paying a higher price than could be achieved through a competitive process, leading to potential waste of taxpayer funds. Secondly, the government becomes dependent on a single vendor, ProQuest LLC. This dependence creates risks related to vendor lock-in, potential future price increases, and service disruptions if ProQuest experiences financial difficulties or decides to alter its service offerings. There's also a risk that the chosen analytics tool may not be the most effective or user-friendly available on the market, as alternatives were not explored.

How effective are the data analytics tools provided in supporting the Department of Labor's mission?

The effectiveness of the data analytics tools provided under this contract is not explicitly detailed in the available data. The description mentions 'data analytics tool' generally, without specifying its capabilities, such as the types of analysis it can perform (e.g., sentiment analysis, trend identification, network analysis), its user interface, or its integration capabilities with other systems. The Department of Labor's mission involves extensive research and analysis of labor market trends, economic conditions, and workforce development. The utility of the analytics tool would depend on its ability to process and interpret the vast amount of data available through the digital newspapers and potentially other sources, providing actionable insights to support policy decisions and program evaluations. Without further information, assessing its effectiveness remains speculative.

What are the historical spending patterns for digital newspaper subscriptions and data analytics at the Department of Labor?

Historical spending patterns for digital newspaper subscriptions and data analytics at the Department of Labor are not provided in the given data. To understand these patterns, one would need to examine past contracts awarded by the agency for similar services. This would involve searching federal procurement databases (like FPDS or USASpending) for previous awards to ProQuest LLC or other vendors providing comparable resources. Analyzing historical data could reveal trends in spending levels, contract durations, types of services procured, and whether these services were typically competed or awarded sole-source. Such an analysis would provide context for the current $115,000 award and help identify any significant deviations or consistencies in the agency's procurement approach for these types of resources.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services › Libraries and Archives

Product/Service Code: BOOKS, MAPS, OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 1605C3-23-Q-00051

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Clarivate PLC

Address: 789 E EISENHOWER PKWY, ANN ARBOR, MI, 48108

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Foreign Owned, Foreign-Owned and U.S.-Incorporated Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $140,249

Exercised Options: $114,949

Current Obligation: $114,949

Actual Outlays: $90,386

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline