VA Awards $4.7M Contract for RS Means Data Online Complete Plus for 3 Years

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,726,400 ($4.7M)

Contractor: R.S. Means Company LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs

Start Date: 2024-02-13

End Date: 2027-02-14

Contract Duration: 1,097 days

Daily Burn Rate: $4.3K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: RS MEANS DATA ONLINE COMPLETE PLUS FULL LIBRARY AND SOFTWARE UPDATES

Place of Performance

Location: GREENVILLE, GREENVILLE County, SOUTH CAROLINA, 29615

State: South Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $4.7 million to R.S. MEANS COMPANY LLC for work described as: RS MEANS DATA ONLINE COMPLETE PLUS FULL LIBRARY AND SOFTWARE UPDATES Key points: 1. The contract provides access to comprehensive construction cost data and software. 2. Competition was limited, with the contract being 'NOT COMPETED'. 3. The primary risk is the lack of competitive pricing, potentially leading to overpayment. 4. This falls under 'Other Computer Related Services' (NAICS 541519).

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $4.7M over three years for data services appears high without competitive benchmarking. The lack of competition makes it difficult to assess if the pricing is fair market value compared to similar data subscriptions.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: limited

The contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source or limited competition scenario. This limits price discovery and potentially results in a higher cost to the government than if multiple vendors had bid.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be overpaying for this data service due to the absence of competitive bidding.

Public Impact

Access to critical construction cost data for VA projects. Potential for inflated costs impacting VA construction budgets. Limited transparency in government procurement for specialized data services.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition
High contract value for data services
Potential for price inflation

Positive Signals

Provides essential data for project planning
Long-term contract ensures data availability

Sector Analysis

This contract is for specialized data services, falling under 'Other Computer Related Services'. Benchmarking for such niche data subscriptions is challenging, but the value suggests a significant need for detailed construction cost information within the VA.

Small Business Impact

The contract was not competed, and there is no indication of small business participation. This suggests the award was made directly to a large or specialized provider.

Oversight & Accountability

The 'NOT COMPETED' status warrants further review to ensure the justification for limited competition was sound and that the pricing is reasonable. Oversight should focus on the necessity and cost-effectiveness of this sole-source award.

Related Government Programs

Other Computer Related Services
Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting
Department of Veterans Affairs Programs

Risk Flags

Lack of competitive bidding
Potential for overpayment
Limited vendor options
High contract value

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $4.7 million to R.S. MEANS COMPANY LLC. RS MEANS DATA ONLINE COMPLETE PLUS FULL LIBRARY AND SOFTWARE UPDATES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is R.S. MEANS COMPANY LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Veterans Affairs (Department of Veterans Affairs).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $4.7 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-02-13. End: 2027-02-14.

What is the justification for not competing this contract, and was a market research report conducted to validate the pricing?

The justification for not competing this contract is not provided in the data. A thorough market research report would be essential to validate the pricing and confirm that R.S. MEANS COMPANY LLC is the only viable source for these specific data services. Without this, it's difficult to ascertain if the $4.7M price reflects fair market value.

What is the potential cost savings if this contract were competed?

Quantifying potential cost savings without a competitive bidding process is speculative. However, given the 'NOT COMPETED' status and the significant contract value, it is highly probable that competition could have yielded substantial savings. A typical range for savings in competed IT or data service contracts can be 10-30%.

How does the VA ensure the ongoing relevance and accuracy of the data provided by R.S. MEANS?

The VA likely relies on the vendor's established reputation and update cycles for data relevance and accuracy. Contractual clauses may specify update frequencies and data validation standards. However, without competition, the VA has less leverage to demand improvements or cost adjustments based on data quality.

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 › IT AND TELECOM - APLLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: 36C10B24R0007

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 30 PATEWOOD DR, GREENVILLE, SC, 29615

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $4,726,400

Exercised Options: $4,726,400

Current Obligation: $4,726,400

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline