DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC awarded $11.3M for economic and social database support services to USAID

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $11,274,799 ($11.3M)

Contractor: Devtech Systems Inc

Awarding Agency: Agency for International Development

Start Date: 2007-02-28

End Date: 2012-08-17

Contract Duration: 1,997 days

Daily Burn Rate: $5.6K/day

Competition Type: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTSERVICES TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DATA BASE(ESDB)

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20523

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Agency for International Development obligated $11.3 million to DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC for work described as: TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTSERVICES TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DATA BASE(ESDB) Key points: 1. Contract provides essential technical and professional support for economic and social databases. 2. The contract duration spans over 5 years, indicating a long-term need for these services. 3. Services fall under Administrative Management and General Management Consulting, a broad category. 4. The contract was awarded as a competitive delivery order, suggesting multiple bids were considered. 5. The use of Time and Materials pricing may present cost control challenges if not closely managed. 6. The small business status of the contractor is not specified, but it was not set aside. 7. Geographic location of performance is Washington D.C.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $11.3 million over approximately 5.5 years averages around $2 million annually. Benchmarking this against similar contracts for technical and professional support services to large government databases is challenging without more specific service details. The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure, while flexible, can lead to cost overruns if not meticulously monitored. The number of bids (3) suggests some level of competition, but it's not exceptionally robust for a contract of this nature.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded as a competitive delivery order, indicating that it was competed under a broader contract vehicle. The record shows 3 bids were received. While competitive, the relatively low number of bidders for a contract of this scope and duration might suggest limitations in the market reach or the specific requirements of the solicitation. This level of competition could potentially lead to prices that are not as optimized as they might be with a larger pool of bidders.

Taxpayer Impact: With 3 bids, taxpayers likely received a reasonably competitive price, but there may be room for further cost savings if more firms had participated or if the competition had been structured differently.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiary is the Agency for International Development (USAID), which receives critical support for its economic and social databases. The services delivered are technical and professional support, crucial for maintaining and enhancing data management systems. The geographic impact is primarily within Washington D.C., where the performance is located. The contract supports a specialized workforce in management consulting and technical database services.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials pricing can lead to unpredictable costs if not managed tightly.
Limited number of bidders (3) may indicate suboptimal price discovery.
The specific nature of 'technical and professional support' is broad and could encompass a wide range of activities, making precise value assessment difficult.

Positive Signals

Awarded through a competitive process, suggesting some level of market vetting.
Long contract duration indicates a sustained need and potential for stable service delivery.
Contract supports critical data infrastructure for USAID's economic and social programs.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, specifically management consulting. The market for such services is vast, with numerous firms capable of providing database support. However, contracts requiring specialized knowledge of government economic and social databases, particularly for an agency like USAID, may have a more limited pool of highly qualified and experienced contractors. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend heavily on the specific database systems and the level of technical expertise required.

Small Business Impact

The contract was not awarded as a small business set-aside, and the contractor's small business status is not indicated as 'true' in the provided data. This means the contract was open to all eligible offerors. There is no explicit information regarding subcontracting plans for small businesses. Therefore, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem from this specific contract is likely minimal unless the prime contractor voluntarily engages small businesses for subcontracting.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the contracting officers and program managers within the Agency for International Development (USAID). As a delivery order under a larger contract vehicle, the initial award process and subsequent oversight would follow the established procedures of that vehicle. Transparency is facilitated by contract databases like FPDS, but detailed performance monitoring and accountability measures are internal to the agency. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply if any fraud, waste, or abuse were suspected.

Related Government Programs

USAID Economic and Social Database Management
Management and Consulting Services
Federal IT Support Services
Data Analytics Support Contracts

Risk Flags

Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials pricing.
Limited competition may have resulted in suboptimal pricing.
Broad scope of 'technical and professional support' requires diligent oversight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Agency for International Development awarded $11.3 million to DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTSERVICES TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DATA BASE(ESDB)

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Agency for International Development (Agency for International Development).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $11.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2007-02-28. End: 2012-08-17.

What is the specific nature of the 'technical and professional support' provided to the Economic and Social Database(s)?

The provided data indicates the contract is for 'TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTSERVICES TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DATA BASE(ESDB)'. This is a broad description. Typically, such services could include database administration, software development and maintenance, data analysis, system integration, user support, training, and documentation. Without more granular details from the contract's statement of work, it's difficult to ascertain the precise technical functions performed. However, given the context of economic and social databases, it likely involves ensuring data integrity, accessibility, and usability for USAID's programmatic and policy needs.

How does the $11.3 million contract value compare to similar USAID database support contracts?

Direct comparison is difficult without knowing the specific databases and the scope of support. However, $11.3 million over approximately 5.5 years (2007-2012) averages roughly $2 million per year. This figure is moderate for supporting significant government databases, especially those requiring specialized technical and professional expertise. USAID manages numerous complex data systems related to international development, aid tracking, and program evaluation. Annual costs for similar, large-scale database management and support contracts within federal agencies can range from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars, depending on system complexity, user base, and criticality.

What are the potential risks associated with the Time and Materials (T&M) contract type for this service?

The primary risk with a Time and Materials (T&M) contract type is cost control. Unlike fixed-price contracts, T&M agreements reimburse the contractor for direct labor hours at specified rates and for the actual cost of materials. If the scope of work is not well-defined or if project requirements change frequently, the total cost can escalate beyond initial estimates. For DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC's contract, this means USAID must maintain rigorous oversight of labor hours, rates, and material costs to prevent overspending. The flexibility of T&M is beneficial when requirements are evolving, but it places a significant burden on the government to monitor expenditures closely and ensure efficient performance.

What does the competition level (3 bidders) imply for the value received by taxpayers?

A competition involving 3 bidders suggests a moderate level of market interest. While it's better than a sole-source award, it's not as robust as competitions with 5 or more bidders, which typically drive prices down more effectively. For taxpayers, this means that while some price competition likely occurred, there might have been opportunities for even greater savings if more qualified firms had participated. The government secured a contract through a competitive process, but the potential for achieving the absolute best value may have been constrained by the limited number of offers received.

What is DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC's track record with USAID or similar agencies?

The provided data focuses solely on this specific contract (ID: AID-OAA-I-07-01-00004-00). It indicates DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC was awarded this $11.3 million contract for technical and professional support services to USAID's Economic and Social Database(s) from February 2007 to August 2012, using a Time and Materials pricing structure. To assess their broader track record, one would need to examine other contracts awarded to DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC by USAID and other federal agencies, looking at performance reviews, past performance evaluations, and any history of contract disputes or awards. This single data point suggests they have experience working with USAID on database-related services.

How does the contract duration (1997 days, approx 5.5 years) impact service continuity and cost-effectiveness?

A duration of approximately 5.5 years (1997 days) for a technical support contract like this offers significant benefits for service continuity. It allows the contractor, DEVTECH SYSTEMS INC, to develop deep institutional knowledge of USAID's Economic and Social Database(s), leading to more efficient operations and potentially fewer errors over time. For taxpayers, this extended period can be cost-effective by reducing the frequency and cost associated with recompeting contracts and onboarding new vendors. It fosters a stable working relationship, enabling the contractor to proactively address system needs and implement long-term improvements, rather than focusing solely on short-term task completion.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1700 N MOORE ST STE 1720, ARLINGTON, VA, 22209

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Special Designations, Subchapter S Corporation, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $11,878,725

Exercised Options: $11,878,725

Current Obligation: $11,274,799

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS10F0048L

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline