GSA Awards $7.77M for R&D Analytical Support to Fors Marsh Group, Lacking Small Business Participation
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $7,770,626 ($7.8M)
Contractor: Fors Marsh Group LLC
Awarding Agency: General Services Administration
Start Date: 2025-03-12
End Date: 2027-03-11
Contract Duration: 729 days
Daily Burn Rate: $10.7K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: ANALYTICS TASK ORDER 10 DPAC FY 2025 ANALYTICAL SUPPORT SERVICES
Place of Performance
Location: ALEXANDRIA, ALEXANDRIA CITY County, VIRGINIA, 22350
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
General Services Administration obligated $7.8 million to FORS MARSH GROUP LLC for work described as: ANALYTICS TASK ORDER 10 DPAC FY 2025 ANALYTICAL SUPPORT SERVICES Key points: 1. The contract focuses on Research and Development in Social Sciences and Humanities. 2. Fors Marsh Group LLC is the sole awardee under a full and open competition. 3. The contract duration is 729 days, ending March 11, 2027. 4. No small business participation is noted in this award. 5. The award type is a Delivery Order under an existing contract.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $7.77 million for a 2-year period appears reasonable for specialized analytical support services. Benchmarking against similar R&D support contracts would provide a clearer picture of its competitiveness.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. However, the specific price discovery mechanisms and the number of bids received are not detailed, making it difficult to fully assess price reasonableness.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used for specialized R&D analytical support. The value appears reasonable for the scope, but the lack of small business involvement could represent a missed opportunity for economic development.
Public Impact
Citizens benefit from potentially improved government research and development in social sciences and humanities. The award supports a specific contractor, Fors Marsh Group LLC, contributing to their revenue and operations. The lack of small business participation may limit opportunities for smaller, specialized firms in this sector. Transparency in the bidding process is maintained through full and open competition.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of small business participation
- Limited insight into specific deliverables and impact
Positive Signals
- Full and open competition utilized
- Clear contract duration and end date
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under the Research and Development in Social Sciences and Humanities sector (NAICS 541720). Spending in this area supports evidence-based policymaking and program evaluation. Benchmarks for similar analytical support services vary widely based on scope and complexity.
Small Business Impact
This contract explicitly states no small business participation (SB=false). This indicates that small businesses were either not involved in the bidding process or were not selected for this particular award, which is a missed opportunity for fostering small business growth in government contracting.
Oversight & Accountability
The General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for overseeing this contract. Oversight would typically involve monitoring performance, ensuring compliance with contract terms, and managing payments. The 'no' value for 'no' (potential oversight actions) suggests no specific issues have been flagged to date.
Related Government Programs
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
- General Services Administration Contracting
- Federal Acquisition Service Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of small business participation
- Potential for limited innovation due to contractor size
- Contract duration is substantial, requiring sustained oversight
- Specific deliverables and performance metrics not detailed
Tags
research-and-development-in-the-social-s, general-services-administration, va, delivery-order, 1m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
General Services Administration awarded $7.8 million to FORS MARSH GROUP LLC. ANALYTICS TASK ORDER 10 DPAC FY 2025 ANALYTICAL SUPPORT SERVICES
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is FORS MARSH GROUP LLC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Federal Acquisition Service).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $7.8 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2025-03-12. End: 2027-03-11.
What specific analytical methodologies and research approaches will Fors Marsh Group LLC employ to deliver value under this contract?
The contract details do not specify the exact analytical methodologies. However, given the NAICS code (Research and Development in Social Sciences and Humanities), it is expected that the contractor will utilize qualitative and quantitative research techniques, data analysis, statistical modeling, and potentially survey design and implementation to provide actionable insights and support decision-making for the agency.
What are the potential risks associated with the lack of small business participation in this full and open competition award?
The primary risk of lacking small business participation is a potential reduction in innovation and specialized expertise that smaller firms often bring. It also represents a missed opportunity to distribute federal contract dollars more broadly, potentially hindering the growth and development of the small business sector within this research domain and limiting future competition.
How will the effectiveness of the analytical support services be measured to ensure optimal taxpayer value?
Effectiveness will likely be measured through performance metrics outlined in the contract's statement of work, such as timely delivery of reports, quality of analysis, adherence to research protocols, and the ultimate utility of the findings for agency decision-making. Regular progress reviews and stakeholder feedback will also be crucial in assessing the value derived from the services.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Solicitation ID: 47QFPA25R0003
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 4250 FAIRFAX DR, ARLINGTON, VA, 22203
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $7,770,626
Exercised Options: $7,770,626
Current Obligation: $7,770,626
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 47QFPA23D0001
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2025-03-12
Current End Date: 2027-03-11
Potential End Date: 2027-03-11 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-03-10
More Contracts from Fors Marsh Group LLC
- NIH Public Information and Communication Services (pics) II — $422.8M (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Covid 19 Public Health RE Opening America: Public Service Announcements and Advertising Campaign — $300.0M (Department of Health and Human Services)
- TO Provide HHS With a Mechanism to Obtain Technical Services Supporting a Full Range of Campaign Activities Tailored to Unique Combinations of Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors to Target Both National and Nich — $188.3M (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Torp 2101, PAN Respiratory Virus Public Education Campaign Support Services — $143.8M (Department of Health and Human Services)
- ''igf::ot::igf'' — $40.3M (Department of Defense)
Other General Services Administration Contracts
- Software Life Cycle Development — $1.4B (Science Applications International Corporation)
- Task Order (TO) 47qfca21f0018 IS Hereby Awarded to Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. (BAH) to Provide Enterprise Level Data to the Ousd(c), and ITS Strategic Partners (I.E., DOD Fourth Estate, DOD Departments, and IC Community) — $1.4B (Booz Allen Hamilton Inc)
- Federal Contract — $1.2B (Booz Allen Hamilton Inc)
- THE Scope of the to IS to Provide Enterprise IT Services for the Usace — $1.1B (Science Applications International Corporation)
- Task Order Award — $1.1B (Booz Allen Hamilton Inc)