DHS USCIS Awards $37.4M for Mission-Critical Cloud Hosting and Monitoring Services

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $37,394,246 ($37.4M)

Contractor: Govplace, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2022-11-01

End Date: 2023-10-31

Contract Duration: 364 days

Daily Burn Rate: $102.7K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: CLOUD HOSTING BPA ORDER FOR FY23 TO PROCURE MISSION CRITICAL CLOUD HOSTING AND MONITORING CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING: AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS), ENTERPRISE SUPPORT, AZURE, AND GOOGLE COMMON PLATFORM (GCP).

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20529

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $37.4 million to GOVPLACE, LLC for work described as: CLOUD HOSTING BPA ORDER FOR FY23 TO PROCURE MISSION CRITICAL CLOUD HOSTING AND MONITORING CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING: AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS), ENTERPRISE SUPPORT, AZURE, AND GOOGLE COMMON PLATFORM (GCP). Key points: 1. Spending focuses on essential cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP) and support. 2. Govplace, LLC secured the contract through full and open competition. 3. The award represents a significant investment in secure and reliable cloud capabilities. 4. This contract supports the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' operational needs.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $37.4M for a one-year period appears reasonable given the scope of mission-critical cloud hosting and monitoring services. Benchmarking against similar large-scale cloud service procurements would provide further validation.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating a robust price discovery process. This method allows multiple vendors to bid, fostering competitive pricing and ensuring the government receives value.

Taxpayer Impact: The competitive award process aims to ensure taxpayer funds are used efficiently for essential cloud services.

Public Impact

Ensures continuity of critical government services reliant on cloud infrastructure. Supports the modernization of IT systems for enhanced efficiency and security. Provides access to advanced cloud technologies for data management and processing. Facilitates secure data storage and accessibility for government operations.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Positive Signals

Full and open competition
Mission-critical service provision
Support for a key federal agency

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically cloud computing and related support. Spending benchmarks for cloud hosting vary widely based on scale and services, but $37.4M for comprehensive mission-critical support is substantial.

Small Business Impact

While this contract was awarded to Govplace, LLC, the data does not indicate any specific subcontracting goals for small businesses. Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses are participating in the fulfillment of this contract.

Oversight & Accountability

The contract was awarded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Standard DHS oversight mechanisms should apply to ensure contract performance and financial accountability.

Related Government Programs

Other Computer Related Services
Department of Homeland Security Contracting
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Programs

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in
Reliance on a single provider for critical services
Need for ongoing performance monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $37.4 million to GOVPLACE, LLC. CLOUD HOSTING BPA ORDER FOR FY23 TO PROCURE MISSION CRITICAL CLOUD HOSTING AND MONITORING CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING: AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS), ENTERPRISE SUPPORT, AZURE, AND GOOGLE COMMON PLATFORM (GCP).

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GOVPLACE, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $37.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2022-11-01. End: 2023-10-31.

What specific performance metrics are in place to ensure the mission-critical cloud hosting services meet USCIS's operational demands?

The contract likely includes Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that define key performance indicators (KPIs) for uptime, latency, security incident response, and data integrity. USCIS should actively monitor these metrics and conduct regular performance reviews with Govplace, LLC to ensure compliance and address any potential issues promptly.

How does the pricing structure compare to industry standards for similar comprehensive cloud hosting and monitoring services?

A detailed pricing assessment would involve comparing the per-unit costs for specific services (e.g., compute instances, storage, data transfer, support tiers) against market rates from major cloud providers and other government contracts. Without granular data, it's difficult to definitively assess if the pricing is optimal, though the competitive award suggests a reasonable outcome.

What are the potential risks associated with relying on a single vendor for mission-critical cloud infrastructure and monitoring?

Risks include vendor lock-in, potential price increases upon renewal, and service disruptions if the vendor experiences technical issues or financial instability. Mitigating these risks involves clear contract terms, regular performance monitoring, and contingency planning for potential service transitions.

Industry Classification

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

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 11111 SUNSET HILLS RD STE 200, RESTON, VA, 20190

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $37,394,246

Exercised Options: $37,394,246

Current Obligation: $37,394,246

Actual Outlays: $37,394,246

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 70SBUR19A00000012

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline