VA Awards $15.9M for ProQuest Health Database, Sole-Source Contract

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $15,909 ($15.9K)

Contractor: Proquest LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs

Start Date: 2025-09-01

End Date: 2026-08-31

Contract Duration: 364 days

Daily Burn Rate: $44/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: PROQUEST HEALTH AND MEDICAL COMPLETE ONLINE DATABASE

Place of Performance

Location: ANN ARBOR, WASHTENAW County, MICHIGAN, 48108

State: Michigan Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $15,909.07 to PROQUEST LLC for work described as: PROQUEST HEALTH AND MEDICAL COMPLETE ONLINE DATABASE Key points: 1. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a $15.9 million contract for the ProQuest Health and Medical Complete Online Database. 2. The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, raising questions about competition and potential price discovery. 3. This spending falls within the Libraries and Archives sector, serving critical information needs for healthcare professionals and researchers. 4. The contract duration is one year, with a firm fixed-price structure.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The $15.9 million price for a one-year database subscription appears high without competitive benchmarking. Similar large-scale medical database subscriptions can vary significantly, but a sole-source award limits the ability to assess if this price represents fair market value compared to potentially lower bids from other vendors.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

The contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award to ProQuest LLC. This lack of competition limits price discovery and may result in a higher cost to taxpayers than if multiple vendors had submitted bids.

Taxpayer Impact: The sole-source nature of this award means taxpayers may be paying a premium for the ProQuest Health and Medical Complete Online Database, as competitive pressures were absent.

Public Impact

Veterans and VA healthcare professionals will continue to have access to vital medical research and information. The significant investment supports the VA's mission to provide comprehensive healthcare services. Lack of competition could limit the availability of alternative, potentially more cost-effective, information resources.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Sole-source award limits competition
Potential for overpayment due to lack of price discovery
High contract value for a single vendor

Positive Signals

Ensures continued access to critical health information
Supports VA healthcare and research initiatives

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under the Libraries and Archives sector, specifically for digital information resources. Spending in this area is crucial for research and development, education, and providing access to specialized knowledge. Benchmarks for large-scale database subscriptions can vary widely based on content and user base, but $15.9 million for a single year is a substantial investment.

Small Business Impact

The data does not indicate any specific provisions or considerations for small businesses in this sole-source award. The contract is with ProQuest LLC, a large established vendor, suggesting no direct benefit to small businesses in this procurement.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source justification for this contract warrants close oversight to ensure the VA is receiving fair value. Accountability would involve reviewing the necessity of a sole-source award and verifying the pricing against any available market data for similar comprehensive health databases.

Related Government Programs

Libraries and Archives
Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting
Department of Veterans Affairs Programs

Risk Flags

Sole-source award
Lack of competitive bidding
High contract value
Potential for price escalation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $15,909.07 to PROQUEST LLC. PROQUEST HEALTH AND MEDICAL COMPLETE ONLINE DATABASE

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is PROQUEST 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 $15,909.07.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2025-09-01. End: 2026-08-31.

What is the justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis, and what steps were taken to ensure fair pricing without competition?

The justification for a sole-source award typically involves unique capabilities, proprietary technology, or a lack of available alternatives. For this contract, the VA would need to demonstrate why ProQuest's database is the only viable option. To ensure fair pricing, they might have conducted market research to establish a price range or consulted independent cost estimates, though the absence of competitive bids inherently weakens price discovery.

What is the potential risk to the VA if ProQuest significantly increases pricing in future sole-source renewals, given the lack of competitive alternatives?

The primary risk is financial vulnerability. Without competitive pressure, ProQuest could incrementally increase prices over time, knowing the VA has limited options. This could lead to escalating costs that strain the VA's budget. The VA would need to proactively negotiate multi-year terms with price caps or explore developing alternative sourcing strategies to mitigate this long-term risk.

How effectively does the ProQuest Health and Medical Complete Online Database support the specific research and clinical needs of the VA compared to other potential solutions?

The effectiveness hinges on the database's comprehensiveness, depth of content, user-friendliness, and integration capabilities with existing VA systems. If it provides unique, critical resources not readily available elsewhere, its value is high. However, without a comparative analysis against other databases or information platforms, it's difficult to definitively assess its effectiveness relative to potential alternatives that might offer similar or better value.

Industry Classification

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

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - PLATFORM

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: 36C242-25-AP-3052

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: $84,464

Exercised Options: $84,464

Current Obligation: $15,909

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Timeline