Department of Energy awards $7,378.56 contract for web search portals and information services
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $7,379 ($7.4K)
Contractor: West Publishing Corporation
Awarding Agency: Department of Energy
Start Date: 2026-04-20
End Date: 2027-04-19
Contract Duration: 364 days
Daily Burn Rate: $20/day
Competition Type: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Other
Official Description: NEW ORDER FOR TWO SUBSCRIPTIONS
Place of Performance
Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20585
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Energy obligated $7,378.56 to WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION for work described as: NEW ORDER FOR TWO SUBSCRIPTIONS Key points: 1. Contract value represents a small portion of overall federal IT spending. 2. The contract is for a duration of one year, suggesting a need for ongoing services. 3. Fixed-price contract type helps mitigate cost overrun risks. 4. The service category, 'Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services,' is common across federal agencies. 5. Limited information available on performance metrics or specific deliverables. 6. The award is a delivery order, indicating it's part of a larger contract vehicle.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract value of $7,378.56 is relatively low, making direct comparison to larger IT contracts difficult. Given the nature of information services, the pricing is likely competitive for a single user or small group. Without specific details on the subscriptions or usage, a precise value-for-money assessment is challenging. However, the fixed-price nature suggests a pre-determined cost for the services provided.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was competed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), which typically allows for a broader range of competition for smaller dollar amounts. While the specific number of bidders is not provided, SAP is designed to encourage competition. This method suggests that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid, potentially leading to a more competitive price.
Taxpayer Impact: For taxpayers, competition under SAP generally leads to better pricing and value for smaller procurements, ensuring that federal funds are used efficiently even for modest contract awards.
Public Impact
Federal employees within the Department of Energy are likely the primary beneficiaries, gaining access to essential information resources. The contract delivers access to web search portals and other information services crucial for research and operational tasks. The geographic impact is primarily within the District of Columbia, where the Department of Energy is headquartered. There are no direct workforce implications as this is a service acquisition, not a service contract requiring external labor.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of detailed performance metrics makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the acquired services.
- The specific nature of the 'subscriptions' is not detailed, raising questions about their necessity and utilization.
- Limited information on the contractor's past performance in delivering similar information services.
Positive Signals
- The contract was competed, indicating an effort to secure competitive pricing.
- The use of a fixed-price contract type helps control costs.
- The service is essential for information access within the agency.
Sector Analysis
The Information Services sector is a broad category encompassing various digital content and access solutions. Federal agencies rely heavily on these services for research, data analysis, and operational support. Spending in this area can range from individual subscriptions to enterprise-wide solutions. This contract falls into the lower end of the spending spectrum within this sector, likely serving a specific team or function.
Small Business Impact
There is no indication that this contract was set aside for small businesses, nor is there information on subcontracting plans. Given the small dollar value, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the broader small business ecosystem.
Oversight & Accountability
As a delivery order under a larger contract vehicle, oversight may be managed through the parent contract's framework. The fixed-price nature provides some cost control. Transparency is limited by the lack of detailed public information regarding the specific services and performance metrics. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud or waste were suspected.
Related Government Programs
- Federal IT Services
- Information Access Contracts
- Subscription Services
Risk Flags
- Limited performance metrics
- Unspecified service details
Tags
information-services, web-search-portals, department-of-energy, competed, simplified-acquisition-procedures, firm-fixed-price, delivery-order, district-of-columbia, it-spending, subscription-services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Energy awarded $7,378.56 to WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION. NEW ORDER FOR TWO SUBSCRIPTIONS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Energy (Department of Energy).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $7,378.56.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2026-04-20. End: 2027-04-19.
What specific web search portals and information services are being procured under this contract?
The provided data indicates the contract is for 'Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services' (NAICS code 519290). However, the specific names of the portals or the nature of the information services are not detailed in the award notice. This could include access to legal databases, research journals, news archives, or specialized search engines. Understanding the exact services is crucial for assessing their utility and value to the Department of Energy's mission.
How does the cost of these subscriptions compare to commercial market rates for similar services?
Without knowing the exact services and the number of users or access levels, a direct comparison to commercial market rates is difficult. However, the total contract value of $7,378.56 for a one-year period suggests a relatively modest expenditure. If these are for specialized research databases or premium news aggregators, the price might be competitive. If they are for more general search tools, the cost per user could be higher than average. Further investigation into the specific product offerings would be needed for a precise benchmark.
What is the track record of WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION in providing similar information services to federal agencies?
WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION is a well-established provider of legal and business information. They are known for services like Westlaw. While specific details on their performance for this particular type of 'web search portal' service within the Department of Energy are not provided, their general reputation in the information services industry is strong. Federal agencies often procure services from established vendors like West Publishing due to their reliability and breadth of offerings.
What are the potential risks associated with this contract, given the limited information available?
The primary risks stem from the lack of detailed information. There's a risk that the procured services may not fully meet the agency's needs if the requirements were not precisely defined or if the selected services are not optimal. Another risk is potential underutilization if the subscriptions are not actively used by the intended personnel. Finally, without clear performance metrics, it's challenging to assess if the agency is receiving adequate value for the expenditure.
How does this contract fit into the Department of Energy's broader IT spending strategy?
This contract, valued at $7,378.56, represents a very small component of the Department of Energy's overall IT budget. It likely falls under operational expenses for specific information resources rather than a major strategic IT initiative. Such small awards are common for maintaining access to essential tools and databases that support daily operations and research activities across various departments within the agency.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Information › Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services › Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services
Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - APLLICATIONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETED UNDER SAP
Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Thomson Company Inc, the
Address: 2900 AMES CROSSING RD STE 100, EAGAN, MN, 55121
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Foreign Owned, Foreign-Owned and U.S.-Incorporated Business, Manufacturer of Goods, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $7,379
Exercised Options: $7,379
Current Obligation: $7,379
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: 89303026DGC000004
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2026-04-20
Current End Date: 2027-04-19
Potential End Date: 2027-04-19 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-04-07
More Contracts from West Publishing Corporation
- Calr-5 — $26.6M (Department of Justice)
- THE Thomson Reuters Services Clear, Cait, and Westlaw. Clear IS a Person Search Tool Allowing Users to Locate Individuals. Cait Assists Investigators With Child Abduction Cases. Westlaw IS a Legal Research Tool Used Primarily by FBI Lawyers — $21.2M (Department of Justice)
- TO Provide to the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Online Access to Legal, News, and Business Databases That ARE Exclusively on the Westlaw Legal Research Platform. OGC HAS a Need for an Online Legal Research Database Platform in Order to Perform — $17.9M (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Westlaw Database Subscription Services - 01AUG2023 DOI IBC Help Desk Ticket INC000004416325 — $5.6M (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
- Subscription to Westlaw Online Legal Research Service, a Web-Based, Computer-Assisted, Legal, News, and Business Information Research Service — $3.4M (Department of Commerce)
Other Department of Energy Contracts
- Federal Contract — $48.1B (Lockheed Martin Corp)
- ,Ct::igf Contract Award De-Na0003525 to the National Technology&engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (ntess) for the Management and Operation of the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) — $41.7B (National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC)
- Management and Operation of the OAK Ridge National Laboratory — $40.8B (Ut-Battelle LLC)
- TAS::89 0240::TAS This Performance-Based Management Contract (pbmc) IS for the Management and Operation of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (llnl). the Contractor Shall, in Accordance With the Provisions of This Contract, Accomplish the Missions and Programs Assigned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Manage and Operate the Laboratory. the Laboratory IS ONE of Does Office of Defense Program Multi-Program Laboratories. the Laboratory IS a Federally Funded Research and Development Institution (established in Accordance With the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 35 and Operated Under This Management and Operating (M&O) Contract, AS Defined in FAR 17.6 and Dear 917.6 — $40.8B (Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC)
- M&O of Lanl BR of U of CA — $35.3B (Regents of the University of California, the)