SEC Awards $3.3M IT Support Contract to Oddball, Inc. for Data Science Workstations

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $3,312,825 ($3.3M)

Contractor: Oddball, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission

Start Date: 2025-01-06

End Date: 2027-01-04

Contract Duration: 728 days

Daily Burn Rate: $4.6K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: IT SUPPORT SERVICES TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE DATA SCIENCE WORKSTATIONS

Place of Performance

Location: MCLEAN, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22102

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Securities and Exchange Commission obligated $3.3 million to ODDBALL, INC. for work described as: IT SUPPORT SERVICES TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE DATA SCIENCE WORKSTATIONS Key points: 1. Contract value of $3.3M for IT support services. 2. Competition method was 'Full and Open', indicating broad market access. 3. Risk appears moderate given the fixed-price contract and established agency. 4. Sector is IT Services, specifically custom computer programming.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $3.3M for IT support services appears reasonable for a two-year duration. Benchmarking against similar custom computer programming services contracts would provide a more precise assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a robust price discovery process. The BPA Call award mechanism implies a pre-competed framework agreement was utilized.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used for essential IT infrastructure maintenance and enhancement, supporting critical data science functions within the SEC.

Public Impact

Ensures continuity of critical data science operations at the SEC. Supports advanced analytics and research capabilities. Maintains and enhances specialized workstation hardware and software.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if services are highly specialized.
Reliance on a single vendor for critical IT infrastructure.

Positive Signals

Full and open competition promotes competitive pricing.
Firm fixed price contract limits cost overrun risk.
Supports agency's data science initiatives.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically custom computer programming. Spending benchmarks for similar IT support services can vary widely based on scope and complexity, but $3.3M for two years is within a typical range for specialized support.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was awarded under full and open competition, and the awardee is Oddball, Inc. There is no specific indication of small business participation or set-aside in the provided data.

Oversight & Accountability

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is responsible for overseeing this contract. The award mechanism (BPA Call) suggests adherence to established procurement procedures, but further review of the BPA itself would clarify oversight specifics.

Related Government Programs

Custom Computer Programming Services
Securities and Exchange Commission Contracting
Securities and Exchange Commission Programs

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in.
Reliance on a single vendor for critical IT infrastructure.
Need for ongoing performance monitoring to ensure service quality.
Complexity of specialized data science workstation support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Securities and Exchange Commission awarded $3.3 million to ODDBALL, INC.. IT SUPPORT SERVICES TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE DATA SCIENCE WORKSTATIONS

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ODDBALL, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Securities and Exchange Commission (Securities and Exchange Commission).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $3.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2025-01-06. End: 2027-01-04.

What specific metrics will be used to measure the success of the IT support services in maintaining and enhancing data science workstations?

Success metrics should focus on uptime, performance benchmarks, response times for support requests, and successful implementation of enhancements. Quantifiable targets for workstation availability and processing speed improvements would be ideal. The agency should track user satisfaction surveys and the reduction in critical incidents related to workstation functionality.

How does the pricing structure compare to industry standards for similar custom computer programming services, considering the specialized nature of data science workstations?

While the firm fixed price provides cost certainty, a detailed cost breakdown and comparison to industry benchmarks for specialized IT support are crucial. Factors like the required expertise, software licensing, and hardware maintenance costs influence pricing. The SEC should have conducted a thorough price analysis during the procurement to ensure reasonableness against market rates for similar, high-demand skill sets.

What is the potential long-term impact on the SEC's data science capabilities if the vendor, Oddball, Inc., is unable to fulfill the contract requirements effectively?

A significant disruption could occur, impacting the SEC's ability to conduct timely data analysis and research. This could lead to delays in regulatory oversight and enforcement actions. The agency should have contingency plans, including knowledge transfer protocols and alternative vendor identification, to mitigate such risks and ensure operational continuity.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Custom Computer Programming Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - COMPUTE

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 50310224Q0124

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1775 TYSONS BLVD, MCLEAN, VA, 22102

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $8,551,037

Exercised Options: $3,312,825

Current Obligation: $3,312,825

Actual Outlays: $1,823,058

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 50310223A0005

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline