GSA awards $57.3M for IT support, focusing on rapid fielding of warfighter needs and innovative technologies

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $57,255,255 ($57.3M)

Contractor: Salient Federal Solutions, Inc.

Awarding Agency: General Services Administration

Start Date: 2017-06-07

End Date: 2018-09-06

Contract Duration: 456 days

Daily Burn Rate: $125.6K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: IT

Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO SUPPORT QUICK RESPONSE, RAPID FIELDING CAPABILITY TO MEET URGENT WARFIGHTER NEEDS, AS WELL AS FINDING AND FIELDING NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES, EXPANDED AND IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY OF EXISTING CAPABILITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY INSERTION TO ENHANCE MISSION CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVE SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY. SUPPORT REQUIRES EXPERTISE IN SECURE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, ARCHITECTURES, NETWORKS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSOCIATED TELECOMMUNICATIONS DELIVERY, CYBER ANALYTICS, CYBER FORENSICS, CYBER SECURITY AND ONLINE IDENTITY MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS DATA ENTITY RESOLUTION, TEXT ENTITY EXTRACTION OF RECORDS, THREE DIMENSIONAL GEOSPATIAL VISUALIZATION, USER INTERFACE DESIGN, DIGITAL MEDIA FORENSIC TOOL INTEGRATION, AND CUSTOM BIOMETRIC TOOL INTEGRATION.

Place of Performance

Location: FORT BRAGG, CUMBERLAND County, NORTH CAROLINA, 28307

State: North Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

General Services Administration obligated $57.3 million to SALIENT FEDERAL SOLUTIONS, INC. for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO SUPPORT QUICK RESPONSE, RAPID FIELDING CAPABILITY TO MEET URGENT WARFIGHTER NEEDS, AS WELL AS FINDING AND FIELDING NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES, EXPANDED AND IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY OF EXISTING CAPABILITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY INS… Key points: 1. Contract supports urgent warfighter needs and fielding of innovative technologies. 2. Focus on secure communications, cyber analytics, and data entity resolution. 3. Contractor has expertise in various IT domains including cybersecurity and visualization. 4. Delivery order awarded under a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. 5. Performance period spans 456 days, indicating a short-to-medium term need. 6. Contract type is Time and Materials, which can pose cost control challenges.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The total award of $57.3M for a 456-day period suggests a significant investment in IT support services. Without specific deliverables or a breakdown of labor categories and rates, a precise value-for-money assessment is difficult. However, the Time and Materials contract type carries inherent risks of cost overruns if not closely managed. Benchmarking against similar IT support contracts would require more detailed service descriptions and pricing structures.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. This competitive process is generally favorable for price discovery and ensuring a reasonable market price. The specific number of bidders is not provided, but the full and open nature suggests a robust competition.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive process that aims to secure services at a fair market price, reducing the risk of overpayment compared to sole-source or limited competition awards.

Public Impact

Warfighters benefit from enhanced connectivity, improved system performance, and the rapid fielding of new technologies. Services delivered include secure communications, cyber analytics, and data management solutions. Geographic impact is likely nationwide, supporting various military operations and installations. Workforce implications include the need for specialized IT and cybersecurity professionals.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials contract type can lead to cost overruns if not managed diligently.
Lack of specific performance metrics makes it difficult to assess effectiveness without further data.
The broad scope of services could lead to potential scope creep if not clearly defined.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive pricing environment.
Focus on critical areas like cybersecurity and rapid fielding aligns with urgent defense needs.
Contractor expertise spans a wide range of advanced IT capabilities.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Computer Systems Design Services sector, a critical component of the broader IT industry. The market for such services is substantial, driven by government and commercial demand for advanced technological solutions. This specific award appears to focus on specialized IT support for defense applications, including cybersecurity and network infrastructure, aligning with government priorities for modernization and enhanced operational capabilities.

Small Business Impact

The contract was not set aside for small businesses, and there is no indication of subcontracting requirements for small businesses in the provided data. This suggests that the primary award went to a large business, and the direct impact on the small business ecosystem for this specific contract may be limited unless the prime contractor actively engages small business subcontractors.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the General Services Administration (GSA) and potentially the relevant agency's contracting officer and program managers. The Inspector General's office for GSA would have jurisdiction for audits and investigations. Transparency is facilitated by the contract being awarded under full and open competition, with data available through federal procurement databases.

Related Government Programs

Information Technology Professional Services
Cybersecurity Services
Network Infrastructure Support
Defense IT Modernization
Rapid Fielding Initiatives

Risk Flags

Time and Materials Contract Type
Broad Scope of Services
Lack of Specific Performance Metrics

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

General Services Administration awarded $57.3 million to SALIENT FEDERAL SOLUTIONS, INC.. IGF::OT::IGF THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO SUPPORT QUICK RESPONSE, RAPID FIELDING CAPABILITY TO MEET URGENT WARFIGHTER NEEDS, AS WELL AS FINDING AND FIELDING NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES, EXPANDED AND IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY OF EXISTING CAPABILITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY INSERTION TO ENHANCE MISSION CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVE SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY. SUPPORT REQUIRES EXPERTISE IN SECURE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, ARCHITECTURES, NETWORKS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSOCIATED TELECOMMUNICATIO

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is SALIENT FEDERAL SOLUTIONS, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: General Services Administration (Federal Acquisition Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $57.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2017-06-07. End: 2018-09-06.

What specific performance metrics are used to evaluate the success of this contract in meeting 'urgent warfighter needs' and fielding 'innovative technologies'?

The provided data does not specify the performance metrics used to evaluate the success of this contract. Typically, for contracts supporting 'urgent warfighter needs' and 'innovative technologies,' performance metrics would focus on factors such as the speed of fielding new capabilities, the effectiveness of implemented solutions in enhancing mission performance, the reliability of secure communication systems, and the successful integration of new technologies. Without access to the contract's Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS), a detailed assessment of these metrics and the contractor's performance against them is not possible. Further inquiry would require reviewing the contract documentation for specific deliverables, key performance indicators (KPIs), and acceptance criteria.

How does the pricing structure of this Time and Materials (T&M) contract compare to industry benchmarks for similar IT support services?

Assessing the pricing structure of this Time and Materials (T&M) contract against industry benchmarks is challenging with the provided data alone. T&M contracts are characterized by payment based on direct labor hours at specified hourly rates and reimbursement for direct material costs. To benchmark, one would need to compare the awarded hourly rates for various labor categories (e.g., cybersecurity analysts, network engineers, software developers) against prevailing market rates for comparable skill sets and experience levels in the relevant geographic locations. Additionally, the reasonableness of material cost markups would need to be evaluated. Given the broad scope of services, a detailed comparison would require access to the contract's schedule of rates and a breakdown of estimated material costs.

What is the track record of Salient Federal Solutions, Inc. in delivering complex IT support services, particularly in cybersecurity and rapid fielding?

Salient Federal Solutions, Inc. has a history of providing IT and professional services to government agencies. Their past performance would be detailed in contract performance reports (CPARs) and other contract administration records. To assess their track record specifically for cybersecurity and rapid fielding, one would need to examine past contracts awarded to them, focusing on projects with similar scopes and objectives. Key indicators would include client satisfaction ratings, on-time and on-budget delivery, successful resolution of technical challenges, and adherence to security protocols. A review of their contract history with agencies like GSA, DoD, and others would provide insights into their capabilities and reliability in these specialized areas.

What is the estimated total value of the underlying Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under which this delivery order was issued?

The provided data indicates that this award is a 'Delivery Order' (aw: DELIVERY ORDER) and that the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services). However, the data does not explicitly state the parent IDIQ contract number or its total ceiling value. Often, delivery orders are issued against large, multi-award IDIQ contracts that have significant ceiling amounts, potentially in the hundreds of millions or billions of dollars, to allow for flexibility and rapid procurement of services over several years. To determine the total value of the underlying IDIQ, one would need to identify the specific IDIQ contract vehicle associated with this delivery order, which is not present in the abbreviated data.

How does the $57.3 million spending on IT support for rapid fielding and innovation compare to historical spending patterns in similar defense-focused IT service contracts?

Comparing the $57.3 million award to historical spending patterns requires access to historical contract data for similar IT support services, particularly those focused on defense applications, rapid fielding, and technological innovation. Without a broader dataset of comparable contracts, it's difficult to establish a precise benchmark. However, government spending on IT services, especially within the defense sector, has consistently been in the billions annually. This $57.3 million award represents a significant, but not unusually large, investment for a specific capability or set of services over a defined period (456 days). Trends in defense IT spending often show increases in areas like cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI, suggesting that contracts like this align with current strategic priorities.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Computer Systems Design Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › ADP AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Governmentcio LLC

Address: 4000 LEGATO ROAD STE 600, FAIRFAX, VA, 22033

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

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $65,078,121

Exercised Options: $64,775,871

Current Obligation: $57,255,255

Actual Outlays: $304,738

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS00Q09BGD0007

IDV Type: GWAC

Timeline