GSA Awards $33.6M to Dun & Bradstreet for Subscription Services, Sole-Source Contract
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $33,585,894 ($33.6M)
Contractor: DUN & Bradstreet, Inc
Awarding Agency: General Services Administration
Start Date: 2020-12-30
End Date: 2022-04-30
Contract Duration: 486 days
Daily Burn Rate: $69.1K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: AWARD FOR DUN & BRADSTREET SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.
Place of Performance
Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20405
Plain-Language Summary
General Services Administration obligated $33.6 million to DUN & BRADSTREET, INC for work described as: AWARD FOR DUN & BRADSTREET SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES. Key points: 1. Significant award of $33.6 million for essential business data services. 2. Sole-source award to Dun & Bradstreet, a major player in the credit bureau industry. 3. Potential risk associated with lack of competition for critical data. 4. Services fall under the IT and professional services sector, specifically credit bureaus.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract value of $33.6 million over approximately 1.5 years suggests a substantial investment. Without competitive bidding, it's difficult to assess if this price is optimal compared to market alternatives or if it reflects fair market value.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award to Dun & Bradstreet. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers as there was no opportunity for other vendors to offer competing prices.
Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition may result in higher costs for taxpayers compared to a competitively awarded contract.
Public Impact
Government agencies rely on Dun & Bradstreet for critical business data and analytics. The sole-source nature raises questions about the government's ability to secure the best value. This contract impacts agencies needing business intelligence, risk assessment, and vendor management tools.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award limits competition
- Potential for overpayment due to lack of competitive pricing
- Dependency on a single provider for critical data
Positive Signals
- Essential service for government operations
- Established provider with extensive data resources
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the professional services sector, specifically credit bureaus. Spending benchmarks for similar data subscription services can vary widely, but sole-source awards often deviate from competitive market rates.
Small Business Impact
This contract was awarded to Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., a large business. There is no indication of subcontracting opportunities for small businesses within this sole-source award.
Oversight & Accountability
The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny to ensure the government obtained fair value. Oversight should focus on the justification for the sole-source award and ongoing contract performance.
Related Government Programs
- Credit Bureaus
- General Services Administration Contracting
- Federal Acquisition Service Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of competition
- Potential for inflated pricing
- Vendor lock-in
- Reliance on a single data source
Tags
credit-bureaus, general-services-administration, dc, definitive-contract, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
General Services Administration awarded $33.6 million to DUN & BRADSTREET, INC. AWARD FOR DUN & BRADSTREET SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Federal Acquisition Service).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $33.6 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2020-12-30. End: 2022-04-30.
What was the specific justification for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis?
The justification for a sole-source award typically involves circumstances where only one responsible source can provide the required supplies or services. This could be due to unique capabilities, proprietary data, or urgent and compelling needs. A thorough review of the contract file would be necessary to determine the precise rationale provided by the General Services Administration.
How does the cost of this subscription compare to market rates for similar data services obtained through competitive means?
Without competitive bidding, it is challenging to establish a precise market rate comparison. However, sole-source contracts often carry a premium. Benchmarking against publicly available pricing for similar data products or analyzing historical competitive awards for comparable services could provide an estimated range, but direct comparison is difficult.
What mechanisms are in place to ensure the continued relevance and quality of the data provided by Dun & Bradstreet under this contract?
Contract performance standards and service level agreements (SLAs) are crucial. The GSA should have defined metrics for data accuracy, timeliness, and availability. Regular performance reviews and feedback mechanisms are essential to ensure the vendor meets these requirements and that the data remains valuable to government users.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Business Support Services › Credit Bureaus
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE
Solicitation ID: 15200007
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 4100 FAIRFAX DR STE 500, ARLINGTON, VA, 22203
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $35,287,894
Exercised Options: $33,585,894
Current Obligation: $33,585,894
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: SERVICES PURSUANT TO FAR 12.102(G)
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Timeline
Start Date: 2020-12-30
Current End Date: 2022-04-30
Potential End Date: 2023-04-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-01-13
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