EPA awards $4.1M task order for information management services to Agile Decision Sciences, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,101,710 ($4.1M)

Contractor: Agile Decision Sciences, LLC

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2022-12-28

End Date: 2028-01-31

Contract Duration: 1,860 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: TASK ORDER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CENTER SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: CHICAGO, COOK County, ILLINOIS, 60604

State: Illinois Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $4.1 million to AGILE DECISION SCIENCES, LLC for work described as: TASK ORDER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CENTER SERVICES Key points: 1. The contract is a firm-fixed-price delivery order under a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. 2. Competition was conducted under full and open procedures after exclusion of sources, indicating a competitive process. 3. The contract duration is 1860 days, spanning from late 2022 to early 2028. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541990 suggests a broad range of professional, scientific, and technical services. 5. The task order was awarded to Agile Decision Sciences, LLC, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the issuing agency. 6. The contract type is a delivery order, implying specific deliverables within the scope of the parent IDIQ. 7. The task order was not set aside for small businesses, suggesting it was competed broadly.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this specific task order is challenging without more detailed information on the scope of services and comparable contracts. The total award amount of $4.1 million over approximately five years suggests a moderate annual spend. However, without knowing the specific deliverables, labor categories, or rates, it's difficult to assess if the pricing is competitive or represents good value for money. Further analysis would require comparing the proposed rates and the overall cost against similar information management services contracts awarded by the EPA or other federal agencies.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This task order was awarded under full and open competition after exclusion of sources. This indicates that the agency sought proposals from all eligible responsible sources. The fact that there were three bidders suggests a reasonable level of competition for this specific task order. A competitive process like this generally allows for price discovery and encourages offerors to submit competitive proposals to win the contract.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive award process helps ensure that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently by driving down costs and encouraging innovation from multiple vendors.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiary of this contract is the Environmental Protection Agency, which will receive information management services. These services are crucial for the agency's operations, likely supporting data management, analysis, and dissemination. The contract is managed by the EPA's Illinois office, suggesting a potential geographic focus for some aspects of the work. The workforce implications include the creation of jobs within Agile Decision Sciences, LLC, and potentially its subcontractors, in the professional, scientific, and technical services sector.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of detailed service scope makes value assessment difficult.
Limited transparency on specific performance metrics and deliverables.
Potential for cost overruns if scope creep occurs without adequate oversight.
Reliance on a single task order award without broader contract performance history for this specific vendor.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, indicating a fair and accessible process.
Firm-fixed-price contract type helps control costs and provides budget certainty.
Long-term duration (approx. 5 years) suggests a stable need and potential for efficiency gains.
Contractor is Agile Decision Sciences, LLC, which may have relevant expertise in information management.

Sector Analysis

The Information Management Services sector is a critical component of government operations, encompassing a wide range of IT and professional services. This contract falls under the broad category of 'All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services' (NAICS 541990). The market for these services is substantial, with federal agencies consistently investing in solutions to manage, analyze, and secure vast amounts of data. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other EPA contracts for similar IT support or data management services, as well as contracts awarded by other agencies for similar functions.

Small Business Impact

This contract was not set aside for small businesses, as indicated by 'ss': false and 'sb': false. This means the competition was open to all eligible businesses, including large corporations. While there is no direct small business set-aside, the prime contractor, Agile Decision Sciences, LLC, may still engage small businesses as subcontractors. The extent of subcontracting to small businesses would depend on the company's subcontracting plan and the nature of the services required. Without specific subcontracting goals or reporting, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem is unclear.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this task order would primarily reside with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting officer and the program office responsible for information management. As a delivery order under an IDIQ contract, the parent contract likely has established oversight mechanisms. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS. Accountability measures would be tied to the performance requirements outlined in the task order and the firm-fixed-price nature of the contract, which incentivizes the contractor to meet deliverables within budget. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse is suspected.

Related Government Programs

EPA Information Technology Services
Federal Data Management Contracts
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Contracts
Environmental Data Analysis Services
Government Information Systems Support

Risk Flags

Potential for scope creep impacting budget.
Contractor performance risk.
Cybersecurity and data breach risks.
Dependence on specific vendor expertise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $4.1 million to AGILE DECISION SCIENCES, LLC. TASK ORDER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CENTER SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is AGILE DECISION SCIENCES, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $4.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2022-12-28. End: 2028-01-31.

What specific information management services are included in this task order?

The provided data indicates the task order is for 'TASK ORDER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CENTER SERVICES' under NAICS code 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). However, the specific details of the services are not itemized in the provided data. Typically, such services could encompass data collection, storage, processing, analysis, reporting, system maintenance, and IT support related to managing the EPA's information assets. A comprehensive understanding would require reviewing the full Statement of Work (SOW) associated with this delivery order, which would detail the exact tasks, deliverables, and performance standards expected from Agile Decision Sciences, LLC.

How does the $4.1 million award compare to typical EPA spending on information management?

Comparing the $4.1 million award to typical EPA spending on information management requires access to historical EPA budget data and contract spending reports. Without this comparative data, it's difficult to definitively state whether this amount is high, low, or average. However, considering the contract duration of approximately five years (1860 days), the annual spend averages around $820,000. This figure needs to be evaluated against the agency's overall IT budget and the scale of its information management needs. A deeper analysis would involve benchmarking against similar task orders or contracts awarded by the EPA for comparable services over similar timeframes.

What is the track record of Agile Decision Sciences, LLC with the federal government?

Agile Decision Sciences, LLC is the awardee of this task order. To assess their track record, one would need to examine their contract history with the federal government, particularly with the EPA. This would involve looking at past performance on similar contracts, including their ability to meet deadlines, manage costs, and deliver quality services. Information on past performance, including any awards, past issues, or contractor performance assessment reports (CPARS), would provide valuable insight into their reliability and capability to execute this information management services contract effectively.

What are the potential risks associated with this contract?

Potential risks associated with this contract include scope creep, where the requirements expand beyond the original agreement, potentially leading to cost overruns despite the firm-fixed-price structure. Another risk is contractor performance; if Agile Decision Sciences, LLC fails to deliver services as per the contract, it could disrupt EPA's information management operations. Technical risks, such as system integration issues or cybersecurity vulnerabilities, are also present in IT-related contracts. Furthermore, over-reliance on a single vendor for critical information management functions could pose a risk if the vendor faces financial instability or operational challenges.

How does the 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' method impact cost-effectiveness?

The 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' method is a specific procurement procedure designed to ensure broad competition while allowing for certain exclusions based on predefined criteria. In this case, it implies that the EPA sought proposals from all responsible sources but may have excluded certain entities based on specific requirements or justifications. This method generally promotes cost-effectiveness by encouraging multiple bidders to offer competitive pricing. The presence of three bidders suggests that the competition was meaningful, likely driving down costs compared to a sole-source award. The firm-fixed-price nature further enhances cost predictability for the government.

What is the significance of the NAICS code 541990 for this contract?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541990, 'All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services,' is a broad classification. Its significance for this contract is that it indicates the services provided by Agile Decision Sciences, LLC are not easily categorized under more specific NAICS codes. This suggests a diverse scope of work that could include a wide array of professional, scientific, and technical support activities related to information management. While broad, it signals that the contract is for specialized expertise rather than standard IT hardware or software procurement.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 68HE0522R0041

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Arctic Slope Regional Corporation

Address: 350 VOYAGER WAY STE 100B, HUNTSVILLE, AL, 35806

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,890,065

Exercised Options: $5,890,065

Current Obligation: $4,101,710

Actual Outlays: $3,845,710

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HERD23D0003

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline