DOE awards $39.9K for Bloomberg BNEF licenses to EIA, a sole-source contract
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $39,895 ($39.9K)
Contractor: Bloomberg Finance LP
Awarding Agency: Department of Energy
Start Date: 2024-05-01
End Date: 2025-04-30
Contract Duration: 364 days
Daily Burn Rate: $110/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: IT
Official Description: THIS BPA CALL IS ISSUED AGAINST MASTER BPA 89303019AEE000001 TO OBTAIN FOUR (4) BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE (BNEF) USER LICENSES FOR THE U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION. THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE IS FROM 05/01/2024 TO 4/30/2025.
Place of Performance
Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20585
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Energy obligated $39,894.68 to BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP for work described as: THIS BPA CALL IS ISSUED AGAINST MASTER BPA 89303019AEE000001 TO OBTAIN FOUR (4) BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE (BNEF) USER LICENSES FOR THE U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION. THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE IS FROM 05/01/2024 TO 4/30/2025. Key points: 1. Contracting for essential Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) user licenses for the U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2. The award is a BPA Call against a master BPA, indicating a pre-negotiated framework. 3. Sole-source award raises questions about competition and potential price discovery. 4. The IT sector, specifically data and information services, is the focus of this spending.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $39,894.68 for four BNEF licenses appears reasonable for specialized financial data services. Benchmarking against similar government or commercial licenses would provide a clearer picture of value.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This contract was not competed under SAP and was awarded sole-source. This limits price discovery and may not leverage the most competitive pricing available in the market.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are used for specialized data services, with potential for overpayment due to lack of competition.
Public Impact
Provides critical data for energy market analysis and forecasting by the EIA. Supports informed decision-making in energy policy and investment. Ensures U.S. energy sector competitiveness through access to global data.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award limits competition.
- Lack of transparency in pricing justification.
- Potential for higher costs without competitive bidding.
Positive Signals
- Provides essential data for a key government agency.
- Supports energy sector analysis and policy.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Information Technology sector, specifically for data and information services. Spending on specialized data platforms like BNEF is common for agencies requiring in-depth market intelligence.
Small Business Impact
This contract was awarded to Bloomberg Finance LP, a large business. There is no indication of small business participation in this specific BPA call.
Oversight & Accountability
The award is a BPA Call against a master BPA, suggesting some level of pre-negotiation and oversight. However, the sole-source nature warrants scrutiny to ensure fair pricing and necessity.
Related Government Programs
- All Other Information Services
- Department of Energy Contracting
- Department of Energy Programs
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award.
- Lack of documented justification for sole-source.
- Potential for non-competitive pricing.
- Limited transparency in award process.
Tags
all-other-information-services, department-of-energy, dc, bpa-call, under-100k
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Energy awarded $39,894.68 to BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP. THIS BPA CALL IS ISSUED AGAINST MASTER BPA 89303019AEE000001 TO OBTAIN FOUR (4) BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE (BNEF) USER LICENSES FOR THE U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION. THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE IS FROM 05/01/2024 TO 4/30/2025.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Energy (Department of Energy).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $39,894.68.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2024-05-01. End: 2025-04-30.
What is the justification for awarding these BNEF licenses on a sole-source basis, and has the agency explored alternative data sources?
The justification for a sole-source award typically stems from the unique nature of the product or service, or a lack of viable alternatives. For specialized data platforms like Bloomberg New Energy Finance, agencies often cite proprietary data sets or integrated analytical tools that are not readily available elsewhere. The agency should have documented why other information services or data providers could not meet the specific analytical needs of the EIA for energy market intelligence.
How does the cost of these BNEF licenses compare to similar data services or previous contract awards for the same service?
Benchmarking the cost of these BNEF licenses against similar financial data services or previous government contracts for the same or comparable subscriptions is crucial for assessing value. Without this comparison, it's difficult to determine if the $39,894.68 price tag represents a fair market price. The sole-source nature of the award makes such comparisons even more important to ensure taxpayers are not overpaying for essential services.
What specific analytical capabilities or data points does BNEF provide that are critical for the EIA's mission, and are these capabilities unique?
The critical nature of BNEF lies in its comprehensive data and analytics for the global energy transition, covering renewables, new energy technologies, and related policy. For the EIA, this likely translates to forecasting energy trends, assessing market dynamics, and informing national energy policy. The uniqueness of these capabilities is key to justifying a sole-source award; if similar, comprehensive data and analytical tools are available from multiple vendors, a competitive process would be more appropriate.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Information › Other Information Services › All Other Information Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - APLLICATIONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP
Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 731 LEXINGTON AVE, NEW YORK, NY, 10022
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $39,895
Exercised Options: $39,895
Current Obligation: $39,895
Actual Outlays: $39,895
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 89303019AEE000001
IDV Type: BPA
Timeline
Start Date: 2024-05-01
Current End Date: 2025-04-30
Potential End Date: 2026-04-02 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-02
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