Department of Energy's $58.8M contract for technical and management support awarded to ICF Incorporated
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $58,787,016 ($58.8M)
Contractor: ICF Incorporated, L.L.C.
Awarding Agency: Department of Energy
Start Date: 2011-06-23
End Date: 2018-10-31
Contract Duration: 2,687 days
Daily Burn Rate: $21.9K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 2
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS
Sector: Other
Official Description: TECHNICAL, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY RELIABILITY (OE)
Place of Performance
Location: FAIRFAX, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22031
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Energy obligated $58.8 million to ICF INCORPORATED, L.L.C. for work described as: TECHNICAL, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY RELIABILITY (OE) Key points: 1. Contract provides essential technical and management support to the Office of Electricity and Energy Reliability. 2. Awarded via full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 3. Contract duration of over 2,600 days indicates a long-term need for these services. 4. The contract was awarded as a delivery order, implying it's part of a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicle. 5. Services fall under Administrative Management and General Management Consulting, a broad category. 6. The contract was primarily performed in Virginia. 7. The use of Time and Materials (T&M) pricing can present cost control challenges if not closely managed.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
Benchmarking the value of this specific contract is challenging without more detailed cost breakdowns and comparison to similar, contemporaneous support contracts within the Department of Energy or other federal agencies. The total award amount of $58.8 million over approximately 7.5 years suggests an average annual spend of around $7.8 million. The pricing structure, identified as Time and Materials (T&M), often leads to higher costs compared to fixed-price contracts if not meticulously managed and monitored for efficiency. Without specific performance metrics or deliverables tied to the T&M rates, assessing true value-for-money is difficult.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under 'full and open competition,' indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit bids. The presence of two bids suggests a moderate level of competition for this specific award. While full and open competition is generally preferred for maximizing price discovery and ensuring fair market access, the low number of bidders might warrant further investigation into potential barriers to entry or the specialized nature of the required services.
Taxpayer Impact: A competitive award process, even with a limited number of bidders, is generally favorable for taxpayers as it encourages multiple firms to offer their best pricing and technical solutions, potentially leading to cost savings compared to sole-source or limited competition scenarios.
Public Impact
The Office of Electricity and Energy Reliability (OE) benefits directly from the technical and management support provided, enabling it to fulfill its mission. Services likely include policy analysis, program management, technical assessments, and strategic planning related to electricity and energy reliability. The geographic impact is primarily centered in Virginia, where the contractor's performance is noted. The contract supports a segment of the federal workforce involved in energy policy and infrastructure, potentially through contractor personnel.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure can lead to cost overruns if not rigorously monitored for efficiency and necessity of hours billed.
- A low number of bidders (two) in a full and open competition might indicate specialized requirements or potential market concentration, warranting scrutiny.
- Lack of detailed performance metrics or deliverables tied to the T&M rates makes it difficult to assess the true value and efficiency of the services rendered.
Positive Signals
- Awarded through full and open competition, which generally promotes fair market access and competitive pricing.
- The contract supports a critical government function related to national electricity and energy reliability.
- The long duration suggests a sustained and recognized need for the contractor's expertise by the agency.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Management Consulting services sector, specifically focusing on administrative and general management support. The federal government is a significant consumer of these services to manage complex programs and operations. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve analyzing other contracts for similar management and technical support services across various federal agencies, particularly those focused on energy, infrastructure, and regulatory functions. The market for these services is competitive, with numerous firms offering specialized expertise.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). Therefore, there are no direct subcontracting implications or specific impacts on the small business ecosystem stemming from a small business set-aside requirement. The prime contractor, ICF Incorporated, is likely a large business, and any subcontracting would be at their discretion.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the Department of Energy's contracting officers and program managers responsible for the Office of Electricity and Energy Reliability. Transparency is facilitated through contract award databases like FPDS. Accountability measures are typically embedded in the contract terms, including performance standards and reporting requirements. The specific jurisdiction of an Inspector General would depend on whether the contract falls under their audit or investigative purview, which is common for significant federal expenditures.
Related Government Programs
- Department of Energy - Office of Electricity
- Management and Consulting Services
- Energy Infrastructure Support
- Federal Energy Policy
- Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contracts
Risk Flags
- Potential for cost overruns due to Time and Materials pricing.
- Limited number of bidders in a competitive process.
- Lack of detailed performance metrics in provided data.
Tags
department-of-energy, management-consulting, technical-support, energy-reliability, full-and-open-competition, delivery-order, time-and-materials, virginia, icf-incorporated, federal-contract, administrative-support
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Energy awarded $58.8 million to ICF INCORPORATED, L.L.C.. TECHNICAL, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY RELIABILITY (OE)
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is ICF INCORPORATED, L.L.C..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Energy (Department of Energy).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $58.8 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2011-06-23. End: 2018-10-31.
What specific technical and management support tasks were performed under this contract?
While the contract broadly covers 'Technical, Information Technology, and Management Support for the Office of Electricity and Energy Reliability (OE),' specific tasks are not detailed in the provided data. Typically, such support includes areas like policy analysis, program management, strategic planning, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and potentially IT system support related to OE's mission. The 'Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services' (NAICS 541611) classification suggests a focus on advisory and operational support rather than direct service delivery or IT development. Detailed task orders or statements of work under the contract would provide a more granular understanding of the services rendered.
How does the $58.8 million total award compare to similar contracts for management support within the Department of Energy?
Comparing the $58.8 million total award for this contract (2011-2018) to similar contracts within the Department of Energy requires access to historical spending data and contract details for comparable services. However, as an approximate annual spend of $7.8 million over 7.5 years, it represents a significant investment in management and technical support for a specific office. Larger agencies often award multi-million dollar contracts for such services. To provide a precise comparison, one would need to identify contracts with similar NAICS codes (e.g., 541611) and functional scopes (e.g., energy policy, program management) awarded by the DOE during the same period or subsequent periods, and analyze their total values and durations.
What are the potential risks associated with the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure used in this contract?
The primary risk associated with Time and Materials (T&M) contracts is the potential for cost overruns, as the final price is not fixed. Unlike fixed-price contracts, T&M agreements reimburse the contractor for direct labor hours at specified hourly rates and for the actual cost of materials. This structure can incentivize longer task durations and higher labor hours if not managed diligently. For the government, effective oversight is crucial to ensure that all hours billed are necessary, reasonable, and directly related to the contract's objectives. Without strong performance monitoring and controls, T&M contracts can become less cost-effective than other pricing arrangements.
What is the significance of this contract being awarded as a 'Delivery Order'?
The designation 'Delivery Order' (aw: DELIVERY ORDER) indicates that this contract is likely a task order issued under a larger, pre-existing Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract or a similar master agreement. IDIQs allow agencies to procure services or supplies over a set period, with specific quantities and delivery schedules defined by individual delivery orders. This approach provides flexibility for the agency to order services as needed. For taxpayers, it can streamline procurement but also necessitates careful management of the overall IDIQ ceiling and individual order values to ensure continued competition and value.
How does the contractor, ICF Incorporated, perform on federal contracts generally, and specifically with the Department of Energy?
Assessing ICF Incorporated's overall performance requires a review of their contract history, including past performance evaluations, any reported disputes, and on-time delivery metrics across all federal agencies. Without access to specific performance data or ratings for this particular contract or ICF's broader federal portfolio, a definitive statement on their track record is not possible from the provided data alone. ICF is a known large government contractor, and their history with the Department of Energy would likely include numerous awards and task orders. A deeper analysis would involve consulting sources like the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) if available.
What was the historical spending pattern for similar management and technical support services at the Department of Energy prior to this contract?
The provided data does not include historical spending patterns for the Department of Energy (DOE) regarding management and technical support services prior to this specific contract (awarded in 2011). To analyze historical trends, one would need to examine DOE's procurement data over several preceding years, identifying contracts with similar scopes of work and NAICS codes. This would involve looking at the number of contracts awarded, their total values, the types of services procured, and the primary contractors. Such an analysis would help understand if this $58.8 million contract represented an increase, decrease, or continuation of previous spending levels for these types of services within the DOE.
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: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY
Solicitation ID: DE-SOL-0002808
Offers Received: 2
Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: ICF International, Inc.
Address: 9300 LEE HWY, FAIRFAX, VA, 22031
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $67,706,503
Exercised Options: $67,706,503
Current Obligation: $58,787,016
Subaward Activity
Number of Subawards: 35
Total Subaward Amount: $2,790,538
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: GS23F8182H
IDV Type: FSS
Timeline
Start Date: 2011-06-23
Current End Date: 2018-10-31
Potential End Date: 2019-09-10 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2023-10-02
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