EPA awards $10.2M for GIS application support, with a significant portion for maintenance
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $10,205,810 ($10.2M)
Contractor: Indus Corporation
Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Start Date: 2007-04-20
End Date: 2011-04-30
Contract Duration: 1,471 days
Daily Burn Rate: $6.9K/day
Competition Type: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE
Sector: Other
Official Description: ASSISTANCE WITH THE ENHANCEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERS SUITE OF GIS APPLICATIONS
Place of Performance
Location: VIENNA, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22182
State: Virginia Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Environmental Protection Agency obligated $10.2 million to INDUS CORPORATION for work described as: ASSISTANCE WITH THE ENHANCEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERS SUITE OF GIS APPLICATIONS Key points: 1. Contract focuses on enhancing and maintaining critical GIS applications, suggesting a need for ongoing technical expertise. 2. The award was made via a competitive delivery order, indicating a degree of market competition. 3. The contract type is Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF), which can incentivize performance but requires careful oversight. 4. The duration of the contract is over 4 years, reflecting a long-term need for these services. 5. The contractor, INDUS CORPORATION, has been awarded this delivery order by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 6. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541519 suggests services related to computer systems design and related services.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The total award amount is $10.2 million over approximately 4 years. Without specific benchmarks for GIS application enhancement and maintenance, it's difficult to definitively assess value for money. The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure allows for performance incentives, but the final cost can vary. Comparing this to similar contracts for specialized GIS support would provide better context for pricing and overall value.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
This contract was awarded as a competitive delivery order, implying that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but a competitive award suggests that the EPA sought to leverage market forces to obtain the best value. This approach generally leads to more favorable pricing and service offerings compared to sole-source procurements.
Taxpayer Impact: A competitive award process is beneficial for taxpayers as it encourages multiple companies to offer their best pricing and technical solutions, potentially driving down costs and improving service quality.
Public Impact
Environmental scientists and analysts benefit from enhanced and maintained GIS applications, enabling better data visualization and analysis. The services delivered support the EPA's mission in environmental protection and resource management. The geographic impact is likely national, given the EPA's scope, though specific project locations are not detailed. The contract supports a workforce skilled in GIS development, maintenance, and data management.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract type requires robust oversight to ensure costs are reasonable and award fees are justified.
- Lack of specific performance metrics or detailed scope of work makes it challenging to assess the effectiveness of 'enhancement' activities.
- The duration of the contract (over 4 years) necessitates continuous monitoring to ensure continued relevance and value.
Positive Signals
- Awarded through a competitive process, indicating potential for good value and vendor responsiveness.
- Focus on 'enhancement' suggests proactive improvement of existing systems, which can lead to long-term efficiency gains.
- The contractor has a history of performing IT services, as indicated by the NAICS code.
Sector Analysis
The IT services sector, specifically computer systems design and related services (NAICS 541519), is a large and dynamic market. This contract falls within the segment focused on specialized software development, enhancement, and maintenance for government agencies. Comparable spending benchmarks for similar GIS application support contracts within federal agencies would be necessary for a more precise assessment of market positioning and pricing.
Small Business Impact
There is no indication that this contract was specifically set aside for small businesses, nor is there information on subcontracting plans. Given the specialized nature of GIS application enhancement and maintenance, it's possible that larger, more specialized firms are primary awardees. Further investigation into subcontracting opportunities would be needed to assess the impact on the small business ecosystem.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract would typically involve the EPA's contracting officer and technical representatives monitoring performance against established criteria and ensuring that costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable. Transparency would be enhanced through regular reporting requirements from the contractor. The Inspector General's office would have jurisdiction to investigate any potential fraud, waste, or abuse.
Related Government Programs
- Environmental Protection Agency IT Services
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Support Contracts
- Software Development and Maintenance Services
- Cost Plus Award Fee Contracts
Risk Flags
- Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract type requires diligent oversight to manage cost and performance.
- Lack of detailed performance metrics makes objective assessment of value difficult.
- Scope of 'enhancement' versus 'maintenance' is not clearly delineated in summary data.
Tags
environmental-protection, epa, gis, software-development, computer-systems-design, competitive-delivery-order, cost-plus-award-fee, it-services, maintenance, enhancement, virginia, federal-contract
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Environmental Protection Agency awarded $10.2 million to INDUS CORPORATION. ASSISTANCE WITH THE ENHANCEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERS SUITE OF GIS APPLICATIONS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is INDUS CORPORATION.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $10.2 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2007-04-20. End: 2011-04-30.
What is the specific breakdown of funds allocated for 'enhancement' versus 'maintenance' within this contract?
The provided data does not specify the exact allocation of funds between enhancement and maintenance activities. The total award amount of $10.2 million covers both aspects of the Waters Suite of GIS applications. Typically, contracts of this nature would detail such breakdowns in their statement of work or task orders. Without this granular detail, it's challenging to assess the investment in new capabilities versus the cost of sustaining existing ones. Further analysis of the contract's statement of work and any subsequent modifications or task orders would be necessary to determine this breakdown.
How does the Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure influence the contractor's performance and the final cost?
The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure incentivizes the contractor, INDUS CORPORATION, to perform well by offering potential award fees based on achieving specific performance objectives defined by the EPA. This can lead to better quality services and innovation. However, it also means the final cost is not fixed and can exceed the base cost plus fee, depending on performance. The EPA must establish clear, measurable performance standards and diligently evaluate the contractor's performance to ensure award fees are justified and that the overall cost remains reasonable and represents good value for money. Robust oversight is crucial to manage the inherent cost uncertainty of CPAF contracts.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to evaluate INDUS CORPORATION's performance under this contract?
The provided summary data does not detail the specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used to evaluate INDUS CORPORATION's performance. In a Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract, these KPIs are critical for determining the award fee amount. They would typically be outlined in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Objectives (SOO). Examples of relevant KPIs for GIS application enhancement and maintenance could include system uptime, response times for bug fixes, successful deployment of new features, user satisfaction ratings, and adherence to project timelines. Without access to these specific metrics, a thorough assessment of performance quality is not possible.
What is the historical spending pattern for GIS application support at the EPA, and how does this contract compare?
The provided data focuses on a single delivery order awarded in 2007 with an end date in 2011, totaling $10.2 million. To understand historical spending patterns, one would need to analyze the EPA's IT budget and contract awards over several fiscal years, specifically looking for contracts related to GIS development, maintenance, and support. This single data point does not provide sufficient context to establish a trend or benchmark. A comprehensive analysis would require examining prior and subsequent contracts for similar services, their values, durations, and the number of competitors to determine if this award represents an increase, decrease, or stable level of spending in this area.
What specific 'Waters Suite of GIS Applications' are being enhanced and maintained, and what is their criticality to EPA operations?
The provided data identifies the contract's purpose as 'ASSISTANCE WITH THE ENHANCEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE WATERS SUITE OF GIS APPLICATIONS' but does not specify the individual applications within this suite or their precise criticality. The 'Waters' designation suggests these applications likely relate to water resource management, environmental monitoring, or hydrological data analysis. GIS applications are crucial for visualizing, analyzing, and managing spatial data, which is fundamental to many EPA functions, including regulatory enforcement, environmental impact assessments, and scientific research. The criticality would depend on which specific EPA programs rely on these applications for day-to-day operations and decision-making.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Other Computer Related Services
Product/Service Code: EDUCATION AND TRAINING › EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE (R)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Tetra Tech, Inc. (UEI: 045224250)
Address: 1951 KIDWELL DRIVE, VIENNA, VA, 22182
Business Categories: Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Small Business, Indian (Subcontinent) American Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $10,357,898
Exercised Options: $10,357,898
Current Obligation: $10,205,810
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: DOCCM130105CT0027
IDV Type: GWAC
Timeline
Start Date: 2007-04-20
Current End Date: 2011-04-30
Potential End Date: 2012-02-17 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2022-02-10
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