USDA Forest Service awards $13.7M contract for mobile food services to Bishop Services, Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $13,753,961 ($13.8M)

Contractor: Bishop Services, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Agriculture

Start Date: 2006-06-26

End Date: 2009-12-31

Contract Duration: 1,284 days

Daily Burn Rate: $10.7K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 7

Pricing Type: FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT

Sector: Other

Official Description: NATIONAL MOBILE FOOD SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: GOLDENDALE, KLICKITAT County, WASHINGTON, 98620

State: Washington Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Agriculture obligated $13.8 million to BISHOP SERVICES, INC. for work described as: NATIONAL MOBILE FOOD SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract value of $13.7M over 1284 days. 2. Bishop Services, Inc. is the sole awardee. 3. Fixed Price with Economic Price Adjustment contract type. 4. Spending falls within the Caterers (NAICS 722320) sector.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $13.7M for mobile food services over approximately 3.5 years appears reasonable given the scope. Benchmarking against similar large-scale catering contracts is difficult without more specific service details.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition after exclusion of sources, suggesting a competitive process. However, the specific reasons for excluding sources are not detailed, which could impact price discovery.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers are impacted by the $13.7M expenditure, with the expectation of value derived from competitive bidding and efficient service delivery.

Public Impact

Provides essential food services to support Forest Service operations. Supports agency personnel and potentially the public in remote or operational areas. Economic price adjustment clause may lead to cost fluctuations over the contract term.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of detail on source exclusion criteria.
Potential for cost increases due to economic price adjustment.
No indication of small business participation.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition.
Contract duration supports long-term operational needs.

Sector Analysis

The Forest Service's need for mobile food services falls under the broader catering and food service sector. Spending benchmarks for such specialized, mobile operations are not readily available, but the contract value suggests a significant operational requirement.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not awarded to a small business (SB flag is false). Further analysis would be needed to determine if small business set-aside goals were considered or if opportunities were missed.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight would focus on ensuring the quality and cost-effectiveness of the mobile food services provided by Bishop Services, Inc. throughout the contract period, particularly managing the economic price adjustment.

Related Government Programs

Caterers
Department of Agriculture Contracting
Forest Service Programs

Risk Flags

Lack of transparency regarding source exclusion.
Potential for cost escalation due to EPA.
No small business participation noted.
Limited public information on service specifics and performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Agriculture awarded $13.8 million to BISHOP SERVICES, INC.. NATIONAL MOBILE FOOD SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is BISHOP SERVICES, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Agriculture (Forest Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $13.8 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2006-06-26. End: 2009-12-31.

What was the specific justification for excluding certain sources during the 'full and open competition after exclusion of sources' process, and how did this impact the final price?

The justification for excluding sources is critical for understanding the true level of competition. If exclusions were based on highly specialized capabilities, the price might be justified. However, if exclusions were arbitrary, it could have limited competition and potentially inflated the price paid by taxpayers. Further documentation is needed to assess this impact.

How does the economic price adjustment (EPA) mechanism function, and what are the potential risks to the government regarding cost overruns?

An EPA allows for adjustments to the contract price based on fluctuations in specific economic indicators, such as labor or material costs. The risk to the government is that these adjustments could lead to significant cost increases beyond initial projections, especially in volatile economic periods. Clear indices and caps on adjustments are crucial for mitigating this risk.

What is the expected operational benefit and cost-effectiveness of utilizing mobile food services compared to alternative food provision methods for the Forest Service?

Mobile food services are likely employed to support operations in remote or temporary locations where fixed facilities are impractical. The benefit is enabling sustained operations and personnel support. Cost-effectiveness depends on factors like deployment frequency, service volume, and comparison to establishing temporary fixed sites or other catering arrangements. Detailed usage data is needed for a full assessment.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Accommodation and Food Services › Special Food Services › Caterers

Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVERVAT SVCS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: RFP 49-05-13

Offers Received: 7

Pricing Type: FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT (K)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 221 W MAIN ST, GOLDENDALE, WA, 04

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $13,753,961

Exercised Options: $13,753,961

Current Obligation: $13,753,961

Timeline