Education Department Awards $13.8M for Magnet School Design, Facing Limited Competition
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $13,868,222 ($13.9M)
Contractor: Mdrc
Awarding Agency: Department of Education
Start Date: 2003-09-30
End Date: 2009-09-30
Contract Duration: 2,192 days
Daily Burn Rate: $6.3K/day
Competition Type: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE
Sector: Other
Official Description: DESIGN FOR MAGNET SCHOOL
Place of Performance
Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK County, NEW YORK, 10016
State: New York Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Education obligated $13.9 million to MDRC for work described as: DESIGN FOR MAGNET SCHOOL Key points: 1. Contract awarded for magnet school design services. 2. Significant duration of 6 years for the project. 3. Cost Plus Award Fee contract type may incentivize performance. 4. Limited competition raises questions about optimal pricing.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The Cost Plus Award Fee structure can lead to cost overruns if not managed tightly. Benchmarking against similar design contracts is difficult without more granular cost data.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: limited
The contract was awarded via a competitive delivery order, but the limited nature of competition for the overall contract vehicle is not specified. This could impact price discovery and potentially lead to higher costs.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used for magnet school design, with potential for cost inefficiencies due to limited competition.
Public Impact
Impacts educational infrastructure development in New York. Potential for improved student outcomes through specialized magnet school programs. Government spending on educational innovation and design.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Limited competition may inflate costs.
- Cost Plus Award Fee contracts require strong oversight.
- Long contract duration increases risk exposure.
Positive Signals
- Supports educational innovation.
- Potential for high-quality school design.
Sector Analysis
Spending in the education sector for design and planning can vary widely. This contract represents a moderate investment in a specific educational initiative.
Small Business Impact
No information is available regarding small business participation in this contract.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight is crucial for Cost Plus Award Fee contracts to ensure cost control and performance. The Department of Education is responsible for monitoring this contract.
Related Government Programs
- Department of Education Contracting
- Department of Education Programs
Risk Flags
- Cost Overruns
- Lack of Robust Competition
- Contractor Performance Risk
- Scope Creep
Tags
department-of-education, ny, do, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Education awarded $13.9 million to MDRC. DESIGN FOR MAGNET SCHOOL
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is MDRC.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Education (Department of Education).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $13.9 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2003-09-30. End: 2009-09-30.
What specific criteria were used to justify the limited competition for this contract?
The justification for limited competition is not detailed in the provided data. Typically, such justifications might include unique capabilities of the awardee, urgent needs, or specific program requirements that only a limited number of entities could fulfill. Further investigation into the contract file would be necessary to ascertain the precise reasons.
How will the 'Award Fee' component be structured to ensure value for money?
The 'Award Fee' component is performance-based, meaning the contractor earns additional profit based on achieving specific, pre-defined performance objectives. To ensure value for money, these objectives must be clearly articulated, measurable, and directly tied to the successful design and potential implementation of the magnet school. Robust oversight is needed to objectively assess performance against these criteria.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this magnet school design contract?
Key performance indicators for a magnet school design contract would likely include adherence to budget and schedule, quality of design documents, innovation in educational programming, compliance with accessibility standards, and stakeholder engagement. The specific KPIs would be detailed in the contract's statement of work and performance work statement.
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE (R)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 16 E 34TH ST FL 19, NEW YORK, NY, 90
Business Categories: Category Business, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $13,868,222
Exercised Options: $13,868,222
Current Obligation: $13,868,222
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: ED01CO0060
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2003-09-30
Current End Date: 2009-09-30
Potential End Date: 2009-09-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2013-10-15
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