DHS awards $46.3M for USCIS digitization, focusing on file management and quality control

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $46,323,391 ($46.3M)

Contractor: Iron Mountain Information Management LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2024-08-14

End Date: 2026-03-07

Contract Duration: 570 days

Daily Burn Rate: $81.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: THIS AWARD IS FOR ENTERPRISE DIGITIZATION PHASE III TO SUPPORT USCIS IN FILE DIGITIZATION AND QUALITY CONTROL.

Place of Performance

Location: JESSUP, HOWARD County, MARYLAND, 20794

State: Maryland Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $46.3 million to IRON MOUNTAIN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LLC for work described as: THIS AWARD IS FOR ENTERPRISE DIGITIZATION PHASE III TO SUPPORT USCIS IN FILE DIGITIZATION AND QUALITY CONTROL. Key points: 1. Contract aims to improve efficiency and accessibility of USCIS records through digitization. 2. The award leverages existing infrastructure for enterprise-wide digital transformation. 3. Performance period spans over 1.5 years, indicating a focused, phased approach. 4. Fixed-price contract type suggests predictable cost outcomes for the government. 5. The scope includes critical quality control measures to ensure data integrity. 6. This initiative supports the broader government push towards digital services.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $46.3 million for enterprise digitization over approximately 1.5 years appears reasonable given the scope of supporting USCIS file digitization and quality control. Benchmarking against similar large-scale digitization projects within federal agencies suggests that costs are generally in line with market expectations for such complex data management and transformation services. The firm fixed-price structure provides cost certainty, which is a positive indicator for value.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under a full and open competition, indicating that all eligible responsible sources were permitted to submit offers. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the full and open nature suggests a competitive process that should have driven pricing towards market rates. This approach is generally favored for ensuring the government receives the best value.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition maximizes the potential for competitive pricing, which directly benefits taxpayers by ensuring funds are used efficiently and effectively for essential services.

Public Impact

USCIS staff will benefit from improved access to digitized case files, streamlining operations. Citizens and legal residents will experience potentially faster processing times due to enhanced record management. The project supports the modernization of government services, aligning with digital transformation goals. Workforce implications may include the need for specialized skills in digital archiving and data management.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if initial digitization targets are not clearly defined.
Dependence on contractor's ability to maintain data security and privacy throughout the process.
Risk of technical obsolescence if digitization standards are not future-proofed.

Positive Signals

Clear objective to digitize and improve quality control of critical USCIS files.
Firm fixed-price contract provides cost predictability.
Full and open competition suggests a robust market response and potential for competitive pricing.

Sector Analysis

The federal information technology and data management sector is vast, with significant spending on digitization and modernization efforts across agencies. This contract falls within the broader IT services and data management sub-sector, which is characterized by a mix of large prime contractors and specialized small businesses. Spending benchmarks for large-scale digitization projects can vary widely based on the volume and complexity of records, but initiatives like this are crucial for agencies to move away from paper-based systems towards more efficient digital workflows.

Small Business Impact

The contract was not set aside for small businesses, and the prime contractor, Iron Mountain Information Management LLC, is a large entity. While there is no explicit small business set-aside, large prime contractors often engage small businesses for subcontracting opportunities. The extent of small business participation will depend on the prime contractor's subcontracting plan and the specific needs of the digitization project.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will likely be managed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) contracting officers and program managers. The firm fixed-price nature of the contract provides a degree of accountability for cost. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases and reporting requirements. The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General may also conduct audits or investigations if specific concerns arise regarding performance or financial integrity.

Related Government Programs

USCIS Case Management Systems Modernization
Federal Records Management Initiatives
Digital Government Strategy
Enterprise IT Modernization Programs

Risk Flags

Data Security and Privacy Risk
Long-term Digital Archival Strategy
Potential for Scope Creep
Contractor Performance Risk

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $46.3 million to IRON MOUNTAIN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LLC. THIS AWARD IS FOR ENTERPRISE DIGITIZATION PHASE III TO SUPPORT USCIS IN FILE DIGITIZATION AND QUALITY CONTROL.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is IRON MOUNTAIN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 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 $46.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-08-14. End: 2026-03-07.

What is the historical spending pattern of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on digitization and records management services?

USCIS, as a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has consistently invested in modernizing its IT infrastructure and improving records management. While specific historical spending figures for digitization alone are not readily available in the provided data, the agency's overall IT budget runs into billions of dollars annually. Past initiatives have focused on electronic immigration systems (ELIS), case management improvements, and data center consolidation. The current $46.3 million award for Enterprise Digitization Phase III indicates a continued and significant commitment to transforming paper-based records into digital formats, suggesting a sustained investment trend in this area to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery.

How does the per-unit cost of digitizing a document or file compare to industry benchmarks for this contract?

Determining a precise per-unit cost for this contract is challenging without detailed breakdowns of the scope, such as the number of documents or files to be digitized, their condition, and complexity. The total award is $46.3 million over approximately 570 days. If we were to assume a very rough estimate of, for example, 100 million documents, that would place the cost at approximately $0.46 per document. Industry benchmarks for bulk digitization can range widely from $0.05 to $0.50 or more per page, depending heavily on factors like document size, fragility, indexing requirements, and quality control rigor. Given the mention of quality control and the complexity of government records, the upper end of this range might be more applicable, suggesting the pricing could be within a reasonable, albeit potentially high, benchmark.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will be used to measure the success of this digitization effort?

While the provided data does not explicitly list the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this contract, typical metrics for large-scale digitization projects include: 1) Accuracy Rate: The percentage of digitized information that is correctly captured and indexed. 2) Throughput: The volume of documents or files processed per unit of time (e.g., per day or week). 3) Turnaround Time: The time taken from receiving physical records to making their digital counterparts available. 4) Quality Control Pass Rate: The percentage of digitized items that meet established quality standards after review. 5) Data Security Compliance: Adherence to all relevant data protection and privacy regulations. USCIS and Iron Mountain would have agreed upon specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) KPIs as part of the contract's performance work statement.

What is the track record of Iron Mountain Information Management LLC in handling large-scale federal government digitization contracts?

Iron Mountain Information Management LLC is a well-established company with extensive experience in records management, storage, and information governance, including digitization services. They have a significant history of working with federal agencies, managing vast amounts of physical and digital information. While specific details of their past federal digitization contracts are not provided here, their long-standing presence in the industry and their role as a major player in information management suggest a substantial track record. Agencies often select vendors like Iron Mountain for their capacity, security protocols, and experience in handling sensitive government data, implying a generally positive history in managing complex projects.

What are the potential risks associated with the long-term storage and accessibility of digitized records from this project?

Long-term risks associated with digitized records include data degradation (digital rot), format obsolescence, cybersecurity threats (unauthorized access, ransomware), and ensuring consistent accessibility over decades. For this USCIS project, ensuring that the chosen digital formats are sustainable and that robust backup and disaster recovery plans are in place is critical. Furthermore, maintaining the integrity and authenticity of records over time, especially for legal and historical purposes, requires rigorous metadata management and adherence to archival standards. The contract's duration (ending March 2026) focuses on the initial digitization and quality control; long-term archival strategy and ongoing maintenance beyond this period would need separate considerations or provisions.

How does this contract align with the broader digital transformation goals of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)?

This contract directly supports the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) broader digital transformation goals by modernizing critical records management processes within USCIS. DHS, like many federal agencies, is striving to move away from paper-intensive operations towards more efficient, secure, and accessible digital systems. Digitizing USCIS files enhances operational efficiency, improves data analysis capabilities, and ultimately supports better service delivery to the public. This initiative is a key component of ensuring that DHS components can leverage technology to improve mission outcomes, enhance security, and streamline processes across the board.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Transportation and Warehousing › Warehousing and Storage › General Warehousing and Storage

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 70SBUR24Q00000179

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Iron Mountain Incorporated

Address: 85 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE STE 150, PORTSMOUTH, NH, 03801

Business Categories: Category Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $46,323,391

Exercised Options: $46,323,391

Current Obligation: $46,323,391

Actual Outlays: $29,301,309

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 70RTAC23A00000001

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline