HUD's $5.1M Electronic Publishing Platform contract awarded to ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC for nearly 7 years

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $5,102,900 ($5.1M)

Contractor: ICE Mortgage Technology Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development

Start Date: 2014-09-30

End Date: 2021-09-29

Contract Duration: 2,556 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.0K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING PLATFORM SERVICES IGF::OT::IGF

Place of Performance

Location: SAINT PAUL, DAKOTA County, MINNESOTA, 55121

State: Minnesota Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Housing and Urban Development obligated $5.1 million to ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC for work described as: ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING PLATFORM SERVICES IGF::OT::IGF Key points: 1. Contract awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 2. The contract duration of 2556 days (nearly 7 years) indicates a long-term need for these services. 3. The firm fixed-price contract type helps manage cost certainty for the government. 4. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 519120 points to services related to libraries and archives. 5. The contract was awarded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 6. The award was made in Minnesota, indicating a specific geographic focus or contractor location.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this contract is challenging without more specific details on the services provided by the electronic publishing platform. However, a total value of approximately $5.1 million over nearly seven years suggests an average annual spend of around $730,000. This figure needs to be compared against the scope and complexity of the platform's functionalities and the market rates for similar services. Given the long duration and fixed-price nature, the government aimed for cost predictability, but the ultimate value depends on the platform's effectiveness and efficiency in meeting HUD's needs.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES,' which implies that while the competition was intended to be open, there might have been specific circumstances leading to the exclusion of certain sources before the final award. The presence of 3 bidders suggests a moderate level of competition. The 'after exclusion of sources' phrasing warrants further investigation to understand if any potential bidders were disqualified early in the process and the rationale behind it.

Taxpayer Impact: A competitive process, even with exclusions, generally benefits taxpayers by encouraging multiple vendors to offer their best pricing and solutions. However, the specific exclusion criteria could have limited the pool of potential offerors, potentially impacting the final price achieved.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiary is the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which receives services for its electronic publishing needs. The contract supports the delivery of digital information and archival services, likely impacting internal HUD operations and potentially public access to information. The geographic impact is centered in Minnesota, where the contractor is located, though the services may be utilized nationwide by HUD. Workforce implications include employment opportunities at ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC and potentially within HUD for managing and utilizing the platform.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

The 'after exclusion of sources' clause in the competition type requires clarification to ensure fair market access.
Lack of detailed service descriptions makes it difficult to assess the true value for money.
The long contract duration could lead to vendor lock-in or missed opportunities for technological advancements if not managed proactively.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, indicating an effort to maximize market participation.
Firm fixed-price contract provides cost certainty for the duration of the award.
The contract has been active for a significant period, suggesting a sustained need and potentially successful service delivery.

Sector Analysis

The contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically related to electronic publishing and archival functions. The NAICS code 519120 (Libraries and Archives) suggests a focus on managing and disseminating information digitally. The market for such services is broad, encompassing software development, platform management, and data archiving. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend heavily on the specific features and scale of the platform, but HUD's investment of over $5 million over seven years indicates a substantial commitment to this capability.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication from the provided data that this contract involved small business set-asides or significant subcontracting opportunities for small businesses. The award was made to ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC, a firm that may or may not be a small business itself. Further investigation into the contractor's size and subcontracting plans would be needed to assess the impact on the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the Department of Housing and Urban Development's contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures are typically embedded within the contract terms, including performance standards and reporting requirements. Transparency is facilitated through contract databases like FPDS, which provide basic award information. Specific Inspector General jurisdiction would depend on whether the contract falls under the purview of HUD's Office of Inspector General for audits or investigations related to waste, fraud, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Federal Electronic Records Management
Government Publishing Services
Digital Archiving Solutions
Information Technology Infrastructure

Risk Flags

Competition Type Ambiguity: 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES' requires further clarification on the rationale and impact of source exclusions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $5.1 million to ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC. ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING PLATFORM SERVICES IGF::OT::IGF

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development (Department of Housing and Urban Development).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $5.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2014-09-30. End: 2021-09-29.

What specific electronic publishing functionalities does this contract cover, and how do they align with HUD's mission?

The provided data does not detail the specific functionalities of the 'ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING PLATFORM SERVICES IGF::OT::IGF'. However, given the NAICS code 519120 (Libraries and Archives), it likely encompasses services related to the creation, management, dissemination, and long-term preservation of digital documents and information. This could include features such as document ingestion, metadata management, search capabilities, version control, access control, and archival storage. These services would align with HUD's mission by enabling efficient internal operations, facilitating compliance with record-keeping regulations, and potentially improving public access to housing and urban development data and publications.

How does the $5.1 million total contract value compare to similar electronic publishing platform services procured by other federal agencies?

Direct comparison of the $5.1 million total contract value is difficult without knowing the precise scope, duration, and service level agreements (SLAs) of HUD's platform. However, the average annual spend of approximately $730,000 ($5.1M / ~7 years) falls within a reasonable range for enterprise-level IT services. Larger agencies might procure more comprehensive platforms for tens or hundreds of millions, while smaller, more focused needs could be met with significantly less. Benchmarking would require identifying contracts with similar functionalities (e.g., document management, digital asset management, content management systems) and similar user bases or data volumes. The firm fixed-price nature suggests a defined scope, which aids in value assessment if the deliverables are met.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or service level agreements (SLAs) associated with this contract, and how has the contractor performed against them?

The provided data does not include specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for this contract. These details are typically outlined in the contract's statement of work (SOW) or performance work statement (PWS). Performance against such metrics would be tracked by the government's contracting officer's representative (COR) throughout the contract period. Without access to performance reports or contract modifications, it's impossible to assess ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC's performance. However, the contract's renewal or continued operation over its full term might suggest satisfactory performance, though this is not a definitive measure.

What is the track record of ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC in providing similar electronic publishing or archival services to the federal government?

The provided data identifies ICE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY INC as the contractor but does not offer details on their specific track record with federal electronic publishing or archival services. To assess their history, one would need to search federal procurement databases (like FPDS or SAM.gov) for other contracts awarded to this entity, paying close attention to the nature of services rendered, contract values, performance history, and any past performance evaluations. Without this additional information, it's difficult to gauge their experience and reliability in this specific domain.

Were there any significant contract modifications, overruns, or issues reported during the life of this contract?

The provided summary data does not indicate any contract modifications, overruns, or specific issues encountered during the life of this contract. A comprehensive review of the contract's history in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) would be necessary to identify any modifications (e.g., changes in scope, value, or duration), funding adjustments, or documented performance problems. The absence of such flags in the summary data suggests that the contract may have proceeded without major deviations, but this requires verification through detailed contract file review.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Other Information Services › Libraries and Archives

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: DU100H-14-R-0007

Offers Received: 3

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4155 HOPYARD RD STE 200, PLEASANTON, CA, 94588

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,102,900

Exercised Options: $5,102,900

Current Obligation: $5,102,900

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline