GSA awards $8.5M stationery contract to JL Darling, LLC for 11 days of service

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $8,516 ($8.5K)

Contractor: JL Darling, LLC

Awarding Agency: General Services Administration

Start Date: 2026-04-09

End Date: 2026-04-20

Contract Duration: 11 days

Daily Burn Rate: $774/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT

Sector: Other

Official Description: PAD,ALL WEATHER NOT SEEATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR DETAIL.

Place of Performance

Location: FIFE, PIERCE County, WASHINGTON, 98424

State: Washington Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

General Services Administration obligated $8,515.6 to JL DARLING, LLC for work described as: PAD,ALL WEATHER NOT SEEATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR DETAIL. Key points: 1. Contract value appears high for a short duration, warranting scrutiny of unit pricing and scope. 2. The limited contract duration (11 days) suggests a potential gap-filling or urgent need. 3. Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment (FPEPA) introduces potential for cost overruns. 4. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating a broad market search. 5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 322230 points to the paperboard container manufacturing industry. 6. The award to JL Darling, LLC, a single entity, requires examination of its past performance and capacity. 7. The contract's primary location is Washington (WA), indicating a specific geographic focus.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $8.5 million for an 11-day period is exceptionally high, averaging over $774,000 per day. Without detailed line-item data, it's difficult to benchmark specific products. However, this daily burn rate is significantly higher than typical for stationery supplies, suggesting either a massive, unstated quantity requirement or a potential pricing anomaly. Further investigation into the specific items and quantities procured is necessary to assess value for money.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. However, the award was made to a single entity, JL Darling, LLC. The details of the bidding process, including the number of proposals received and the evaluation criteria, are not provided. A high value for a short duration awarded to a single vendor under full and open competition warrants further examination to ensure competitive pricing was achieved.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from the competitive process theoretically leading to better pricing, but the high value for a short term raises questions about whether the best possible price was secured.

Public Impact

Federal agencies requiring stationery and related products will benefit from this contract. The contract ensures the availability of essential office supplies for government operations. The primary geographic impact is within Washington (WA), suggesting a concentration of service delivery or administrative oversight. The contract supports jobs within the stationery product manufacturing sector.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

The extremely high daily expenditure rate raises concerns about potential overpricing or an unusually large, unspecified demand.
The short contract duration coupled with a high value could indicate a rushed procurement or a lack of detailed planning.
The use of Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) introduces risk of cost escalation beyond initial projections.
Limited information on the specific items and quantities makes it difficult to validate the necessity of such a high expenditure.
The award to a single vendor, even under full and open competition, requires scrutiny to ensure no better pricing was available.

Positive Signals

The contract was awarded through full and open competition, indicating a broad market solicitation.
The General Services Administration (GSA) is a reputable agency known for managing federal procurement.
The contract has a clear end date, providing a defined period for the services.
The use of a Best Price Agreement (BPA) Call suggests a pre-negotiated framework for efficient ordering.

Sector Analysis

The stationery product manufacturing sector (NAICS 322230) encompasses companies that produce paperboard containers and boxes. This contract falls within the broader office supplies and equipment category, a consistent area of federal spending. Federal agencies rely on a steady supply of these goods for daily operations. Benchmarking this specific contract's value is challenging without detailed product breakdowns, but the overall federal spending on office supplies is substantial.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that small business participation was not a specific set-aside for this contract (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, the primary impact on small businesses would be through potential subcontracting opportunities if JL Darling, LLC engages them, or through competition with other small businesses in future procurements. Without specific subcontracting plans detailed, it's difficult to assess the direct impact on the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the General Services Administration (GSA), specifically the Federal Acquisition Service. Mechanisms likely include contract performance reviews, audits, and adherence to the terms of the Best Price Agreement (BPA) Call. Transparency is facilitated by public contract databases, but detailed spending breakdowns and justifications for the high value would require specific data requests or Inspector General involvement.

Related Government Programs

GSA Schedule Contracts
Office Supplies Procurement
Federal BPA Calls
Stationery and Paper Products

Risk Flags

High daily expenditure rate
Short contract duration with high value
Potential for cost escalation due to EPA clause
Lack of detailed product/pricing information

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

General Services Administration awarded $8,515.6 to JL DARLING, LLC. PAD,ALL WEATHER NOT SEEATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR DETAIL.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is JL DARLING, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Federal Acquisition Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $8,515.6.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2026-04-09. End: 2026-04-20.

What specific stationery products are included in this $8.5 million contract, and what are their unit prices?

The provided data does not specify the exact stationery products included in the $8.5 million contract, nor does it detail their unit prices. The NAICS code 322230 relates to 'Stationery Product Manufacturing,' which can encompass a wide range of items from envelopes and notebooks to specialized paper products. The contract value of $8.5 million for an 11-day period suggests an exceptionally high volume or cost per item. Without a detailed line-item breakdown, it is impossible to perform a meaningful unit price analysis or benchmark against market rates. Further investigation would be required to obtain the specific product list and associated pricing to understand the composition of this significant expenditure.

How does the daily expenditure rate of over $774,000 compare to typical federal spending on stationery supplies?

A daily expenditure rate of over $774,000 for stationery supplies is extraordinarily high and significantly deviates from typical federal spending patterns for such goods. Standard office supplies, even in bulk, rarely reach such daily costs unless fulfilling an exceptionally large, one-time requirement or a highly specialized need. For context, many federal agencies manage their stationery needs through GSA Schedules or other contracts where daily spending is often in the thousands or tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands, for routine supplies. This high rate suggests either an unprecedented demand, a misunderstanding of the contract's scope (e.g., it includes more than just basic stationery), or a potential pricing issue that warrants further investigation into the specific items and quantities procured.

What is the track record of JL Darling, LLC in fulfilling federal contracts, particularly those of similar value or duration?

Information regarding the specific track record of JL Darling, LLC in fulfilling federal contracts of similar value or duration is not provided in the initial data. As the awardee of this $8.5 million, 11-day contract, their past performance is a critical factor in assessing the reliability and potential risks associated with this procurement. A review of their contract history, including performance evaluations, past issues, and successful deliveries on previous government contracts, would be necessary to gauge their capability. Without this information, it's difficult to assess whether they have a proven history of managing large-scale, short-term supply needs effectively and efficiently.

What are the implications of the 'Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment' (FPEPA) clause for this contract?

The 'Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment' (FPEPA) clause in this contract means that the base price is fixed, but it can be adjusted upwards (or sometimes downwards) based on fluctuations in specified economic factors, such as labor costs, material costs, or inflation indices. For taxpayers, this clause introduces a degree of uncertainty regarding the final cost. While it can protect the contractor from unforeseen cost increases, it also shifts some of that risk to the government. The specific economic indicators used for adjustment and the formula for calculating the adjustment are crucial details that would determine the potential impact on the final contract value. Without these details, it's difficult to quantify the risk, but it inherently adds potential for the $8.5 million to increase.

Given the short duration (11 days) and high value, could this contract represent a specific, urgent requirement rather than routine supply?

Yes, the combination of a very short duration (11 days) and a high contract value ($8.5 million) strongly suggests that this contract is intended to fulfill a specific, urgent, or extraordinary requirement rather than routine, ongoing supply needs. Routine stationery procurement is typically spread over longer periods. Such a concentrated expenditure over a few days could be for a large-scale event, a disaster relief effort, a sudden surge in demand due to unforeseen circumstances, or the rapid provisioning of a new facility or operation. The 'BPA CALL' designation also implies it's an order against a pre-existing agreement, potentially for a specific, immediate need identified within that framework.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Manufacturing › Converted Paper Product Manufacturing › Stationery Product Manufacturing

Product/Service Code: OFFICE SUPPLIES AND DEVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT (K)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 2614 PACIFIC HWY E, FIFE, WA, 98424

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Limited Liability Corporation, Manufacturer of Goods, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $8,516

Exercised Options: $8,516

Current Obligation: $8,516

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 47QSEA22A0002

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline