OPM awards $25.2M for IT services to Research Management Consultants Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $25,229,627 ($25.2M)

Contractor: Research Management Consultants Inc

Awarding Agency: Office of Personnel Management

Start Date: 2018-05-01

End Date: 2019-04-30

Contract Duration: 364 days

Daily Burn Rate: $69.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

Place of Performance

Location: MACON, BIBB County, GEORGIA, 31204

State: Georgia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Office of Personnel Management obligated $25.2 million to RESEARCH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS INC for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES. Key points: 1. Contract awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. The contract is a delivery order under a larger contract, indicating a phased approach to service delivery. 3. Fixed-price contract type suggests that cost risks are largely borne by the contractor. 4. The contract duration of one year (364 days) is relatively short-term. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541519 points to a broad range of computer-related services. 6. The award was made by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), a key agency for federal human resources. 7. The contract value is moderate for IT services, requiring benchmarking against similar procurements.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of approximately $25.2 million for a one-year period for IT services appears within a reasonable range for federal procurements of this nature. However, without specific details on the scope of services and deliverables, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging. Benchmarking against similar IT development and support services contracts awarded by OPM or other agencies would provide a clearer picture of whether the pricing is competitive and reflects fair market value. The fixed-price nature of the contract shifts cost risk to the contractor, which can be beneficial for the government if managed effectively.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under 'full and open competition,' indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. The presence of only one bid received (no: 1) is a notable point. While full and open competition is the preferred method, a single bid could suggest potential issues such as a lack of market interest, overly restrictive requirements, or a highly specialized service area. This limited number of bidders may have impacted price discovery and potentially reduced the competitive pressure on the contractor.

Taxpayer Impact: A single bid in a full and open competition raises concerns about whether taxpayers received the best possible pricing. While the competition was technically open, the lack of multiple offers suggests that the government may not have benefited from the full range of competitive dynamics that typically drive down costs.

Public Impact

Federal employees and agencies benefit from improved IT systems and support services managed by OPM. The contract supports the delivery of 'Other Computer Related Services,' which could encompass a wide array of IT functions. The geographic impact is primarily within the scope of OPM's operations, likely supporting federal personnel management nationwide. The contract supports the federal IT workforce by engaging a contractor for specialized services.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Limited competition indicated by only one bid received under full and open competition.
The specific nature of 'Other Computer Related Services' is broad and requires further definition to assess performance.
The contractor's track record and past performance on similar contracts are not detailed here and warrant investigation.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, adhering to federal procurement principles.
Fixed-price contract type can provide cost certainty for the government.
The contract is managed by the Office of Personnel Management, a central agency for federal HR IT.

Sector Analysis

The IT services sector within the federal government is vast and encompasses a wide range of support, development, and maintenance activities. This contract falls under 'Other Computer Related Services,' a broad category that can include IT consulting, system integration, and technical support. Federal spending in this area is consistently high, driven by the need to modernize legacy systems, enhance cybersecurity, and improve the efficiency of government operations. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve analyzing IT service contracts of similar scope and duration awarded to other federal agencies.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there are no direct subcontracting implications or specific impacts on the small business ecosystem stemming from a small business set-aside. The prime contractor, Research Management Consultants Inc., is likely a mid-to-large-sized business, and any subcontracting would be at their discretion based on project needs.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the contracting officer and the program office within the Office of Personnel Management. Accountability measures are inherent in the fixed-price contract structure, requiring the contractor to deliver specified services within the agreed-upon price. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract databases like FPDS, where basic award information is publicly available. The Inspector General for OPM would have jurisdiction to investigate any potential fraud, waste, or abuse related to this contract.

Related Government Programs

IT Services
Management and Consulting Services
Information Technology Professional Services
Computer Systems Design and Related Services

Risk Flags

Limited competition (1 bid)
Broad NAICS code requires detailed scope definition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Office of Personnel Management awarded $25.2 million to RESEARCH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS INC. IGF::OT::IGF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is RESEARCH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Office of Personnel Management (Office of Personnel Management).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $25.2 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2018-05-01. End: 2019-04-30.

What specific IT services were included under this contract, and how do they align with OPM's mission?

The contract falls under NAICS code 541519, 'Other Computer Related Services.' This is a broad classification that can encompass a wide range of IT activities, including but not limited to IT consulting, system integration, custom software development, IT support, and network management. For OPM, these services likely support the agency's core mission of managing the federal government's civilian workforce. This could involve maintaining and enhancing HR IT systems, developing new platforms for personnel management, providing technical support to OPM staff, or ensuring the cybersecurity of sensitive HR data. Without the specific statement of work (SOW) for this delivery order, the precise services remain undefined, making it difficult to directly link them to OPM's mission objectives beyond a general IT support context.

How does the $25.2 million contract value compare to similar IT services contracts awarded by OPM or other federal agencies?

Benchmarking the $25.2 million contract value requires comparing it against similar IT services contracts, specifically those under NAICS 541519, awarded over a similar period (one year) and by agencies with comparable IT needs. Federal procurement data (like FPDS) can be queried for contracts with similar characteristics. For instance, contracts for IT system development, integration, or comprehensive support services for agencies of OPM's size and scope could serve as benchmarks. A preliminary assessment suggests that $25.2 million for a year of broad IT services is within the typical range for federal contracts, but a detailed analysis would involve identifying comparable contracts, normalizing for contract duration and scope, and examining the number of bids received for those contracts to gauge competitive pricing.

What are the potential risks associated with receiving only one bid in a full and open competition for this IT services contract?

Receiving only one bid in a full and open competition presents several potential risks. Firstly, it significantly reduces the government's ability to achieve the best possible price through competitive pressure. The single bidder may have less incentive to offer highly competitive rates. Secondly, it raises questions about the adequacy of the solicitation process or the market's capacity. Requirements might have been too restrictive, the solicitation period too short, or the market for these specific 'Other Computer Related Services' may be limited, leading to a lack of interested vendors. This situation could also indicate potential issues with contractor performance if the chosen vendor is the only one capable or willing to perform the work, potentially leading to future performance or cost overruns if not managed closely.

What is the track record of Research Management Consultants Inc. on federal contracts, particularly for IT services?

To assess the track record of Research Management Consultants Inc. (RMC), a review of their past federal contract performance is necessary. This would involve examining data from sources like the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) or the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). Key areas to investigate include the types and values of previous contracts awarded to RMC, their performance ratings on those contracts (especially for IT services), any past performance issues or disputes, and their experience with fixed-price contracts and the specific NAICS code (541519). A strong track record with positive performance reviews would indicate a lower risk for this current contract, while a history of issues could signal potential concerns regarding RMC's ability to deliver effectively.

How has OPM's spending on IT services evolved over the past five years, and does this contract represent a significant shift?

Analyzing OPM's historical spending on IT services over the past five years would provide context for this $25.2 million award. This involves querying FPDS for all IT-related contracts awarded by OPM within that timeframe, categorizing them by service type (e.g., development, support, infrastructure) and value. By aggregating this data, one can identify trends in OPM's IT investment, average contract values, and the prevalence of different contract types and competition levels. If this $25.2 million contract is significantly larger or smaller than typical awards, or if it represents a shift towards a different type of IT service, it could indicate a change in OPM's IT strategy or priorities. Understanding these historical patterns helps in assessing whether this specific contract is an anomaly or part of a larger strategic direction.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 24361818Q0017

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Research Management Consultants Inc. (UEI: 193705266)

Address: 651 CORPORATE CIRCLE STE 123, GOLDEN, CO, 80401

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Hispanic American Owned Business, Minority Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $25,229,627

Exercised Options: $25,229,627

Current Obligation: $25,229,627

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS35F493GA

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline