GSA awards $23.3M courthouse fire system upgrade contract to South Dade Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $23,348 ($23.3K)

Contractor: South Dade AIR Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc

Awarding Agency: General Services Administration

Start Date: 2026-04-27

End Date: 2026-12-26

Contract Duration: 243 days

Daily Burn Rate: $96/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: COURTHOUSE FIRE SYSTEM UPGRADES

Place of Performance

Location: UTICA, ONEIDA County, NEW YORK, 13501

State: New York Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

General Services Administration obligated $23,348.27 to SOUTH DADE AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION INC for work described as: COURTHOUSE FIRE SYSTEM UPGRADES Key points: 1. Contract value of $23.3M for fire system upgrades indicates a significant investment in facility safety. 2. The award was made under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 3. The contract duration of 243 days points to a focused, project-specific scope of work. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 561210 categorizes this as Facilities Support Services. 5. The contract type is Firm Fixed Price, which transfers cost risk to the contractor. 6. The award was made via a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call, indicating a pre-negotiated framework.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $23.3M for fire system upgrades appears reasonable for a federal courthouse project of this nature. Without specific details on the scope of work, it's difficult to benchmark against identical contracts. However, the firm fixed-price structure suggests that the contractor assumes the primary cost risk, which is generally favorable for the government. The duration of 243 days for completion also implies a defined project scope, allowing for better cost control and predictability.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, meaning all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but this method of procurement generally fosters a competitive environment, which can lead to better pricing and innovative solutions for the government. The use of a BPA Call suggests that a broader contract vehicle was already in place, and this specific call competed for the work under that umbrella.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is the preferred method for federal procurements as it maximizes the opportunity for a wide range of contractors to compete, driving down costs and ensuring the government receives the best value for taxpayer dollars.

Public Impact

Federal courthouses will benefit from enhanced fire safety systems, improving security for personnel and the public. The services delivered include the upgrade of critical fire suppression and detection systems. The geographic impact is likely localized to federal courthouses within the jurisdiction of the General Services Administration's Public Buildings Service. The contract supports jobs within the facilities support services and specialized fire system installation sectors.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of specific bidder count for full and open competition limits assessment of competitive intensity.
Details on the specific technologies or systems being upgraded are not provided, making technical risk assessment difficult.
The contract is a BPA Call, which may indicate pre-existing relationships or pricing structures that could influence true market competitiveness.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, indicating a commitment to competitive sourcing.
Firm Fixed Price contract type shifts cost overrun risk to the contractor.
The project addresses critical safety infrastructure, aligning with government priorities for facility security.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Facilities Support Services sector, a broad category encompassing maintenance, repair, and operational support for government buildings. The market for such services is substantial, driven by the government's extensive real estate portfolio. Fire system upgrades are a specialized segment within this sector, requiring specific technical expertise. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve other federal building modernization projects or large-scale commercial facility upgrades.

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 for small businesses stemming from a specific set-aside requirement. However, the prime contractor, South Dade Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc., may choose to subcontract portions of the work to small businesses as part of their overall business strategy, though this is not mandated by the contract terms.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will likely be managed by the General Services Administration (GSA), specifically the Public Buildings Service (PBS), which is responsible for federal building operations and maintenance. Accountability measures are inherent in the Firm Fixed Price contract type, requiring the contractor to deliver the specified upgrades within the agreed-upon cost. Transparency is generally maintained through federal procurement databases like FPDS, where contract awards are reported. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Federal Building Maintenance Contracts
Public Safety Infrastructure Upgrades
Facilities Support Services
General Services Administration Contracts

Risk Flags

Potential for scope creep if initial assessment is incomplete.
Reliance on contractor's technical expertise for system integration.
Schedule adherence risk due to complexity of building systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

General Services Administration awarded $23,348.27 to SOUTH DADE AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION INC. COURTHOUSE FIRE SYSTEM UPGRADES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is SOUTH DADE AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Public Buildings Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $23,348.27.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-04-27. End: 2026-12-26.

What is the track record of South Dade Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc. with federal contracts, particularly for fire system upgrades?

Information regarding the specific track record of South Dade Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc. with federal contracts, especially concerning fire system upgrades, is not detailed in the provided data. A comprehensive review would require accessing historical contract databases to analyze past performance, contract values, and any reported issues or successes. Federal procurement systems often contain past performance information that can be used to assess a contractor's reliability and capability in delivering similar services. Without this specific data, it's challenging to definitively evaluate their experience in this specialized area.

How does the $23.3M contract value compare to similar courthouse fire system upgrade projects?

Benchmarking the $23.3M contract value against similar courthouse fire system upgrade projects requires access to a broader dataset of federal contracts. The provided information lacks specific details on the scope of work, the size and complexity of the courthouses involved, and the specific systems being upgraded. However, for large federal facilities, especially those with high security and occupancy, significant investments in life safety systems like fire suppression and detection are common. The value appears substantial, suggesting a comprehensive upgrade rather than a minor repair. A detailed comparison would necessitate analyzing contracts for similar facilities (e.g., other federal courthouses, large federal office buildings) with comparable upgrade requirements.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract, and how are they mitigated?

The primary risks associated with this contract include potential cost overruns if the scope of work is underestimated (though mitigated by the Firm Fixed Price structure), delays in project completion due to unforeseen site conditions or supply chain issues, and technical risks related to the integration of new fire systems with existing building infrastructure. The Firm Fixed Price contract shifts the financial risk of cost overruns to the contractor. Mitigation for schedule delays would rely on robust project management by both the contractor and the GSA, including clear milestones and performance monitoring. Technical risks are managed through detailed specifications in the contract and potentially through pre-award technical reviews of the proposed solutions.

How effective is the 'Full and Open Competition' approach likely to be in ensuring value for money for this specific contract?

The 'Full and Open Competition' approach is generally considered the most effective method for ensuring value for money in federal contracting. By allowing all responsible sources to compete, it fosters a competitive environment that typically drives down prices and encourages innovation. For this courthouse fire system upgrade, this approach likely resulted in multiple bids, allowing the GSA to select the offer that provided the best combination of technical capability and price. While the specific number of bidders isn't provided, the process itself increases the probability that the government secured a fair market price and a technically sound solution for the $23.3M investment.

What is the historical spending pattern for fire system upgrades within the General Services Administration?

Analyzing the historical spending patterns for fire system upgrades within the General Services Administration (GSA) would require a deep dive into federal procurement data over several fiscal years. This would involve querying databases for contracts categorized under facilities maintenance, building modernization, and specifically fire safety systems, across various GSA regions and service areas. Such an analysis could reveal trends in contract values, types of upgrades frequently procured, average contract durations, and the prevalence of different competition levels. It could also highlight which contractors are historically awarded these types of projects and the typical cost ranges for different project scopes. Without access to this historical data, it's impossible to provide specific spending patterns.

What are the implications of the contract being awarded via a BPA Call?

Awarding this contract via a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call means that the work was solicited and awarded under a pre-existing BPA. BPAs are established with vendors to streamline the procurement of commonly purchased goods or services. This suggests that GSA likely had a broader agreement in place with one or more vendors for facilities support services, and this specific fire system upgrade was then competed or assigned under that BPA. While BPAs can expedite the procurement process, the level of competition for the specific BPA Call itself is crucial. If the BPA was competed broadly, then this call likely benefits from that initial competition. However, if the BPA itself had limited competition, it could indirectly affect the competitiveness of this specific award.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Facilities Support Services › Facilities Support Services

Product/Service Code: MAINT, REPAIR, ALTER REAL PROPERTY › MAINT, ALTER, REPAIR BUILDINGS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 14510 SW 284TH ST, HOMESTEAD, FL, 33033

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Black American Owned Business, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, DoT Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, HUBZone Firm, Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $23,348

Exercised Options: $23,348

Current Obligation: $23,348

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 47PC0823A0001

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline