DoD Education Activity awards $53.3M contract for K-12 education services at Dover Air Force Base

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $53,322,239 ($53.3M)

Contractor: Caesar Rodney School District

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2020-07-01

End Date: 2025-06-30

Contract Duration: 1,825 days

Daily Burn Rate: $29.2K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: EDUCATION PROGRAM AS DOVER AIR FORCE BASE

Place of Performance

Location: CAMDEN, KENT County, DELAWARE, 19934

State: Delaware Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $53.3 million to CAESAR RODNEY SCHOOL DISTRICT for work described as: EDUCATION PROGRAM AS DOVER AIR FORCE BASE Key points: 1. Contract provides essential educational services for military dependents, ensuring continuity of education. 2. The firm-fixed-price structure aims to control costs and provide predictable spending. 3. Full and open competition suggests a robust bidding process, potentially leading to competitive pricing. 4. The contract duration of five years allows for stable service provision and planning. 5. This award falls within the broader category of government support services for military families. 6. The contractor, Caesar Rodney School District, is a local entity, potentially offering community integration.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $53.3 million over five years averages approximately $10.66 million annually. Benchmarking against similar Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) contracts for K-12 services at other bases indicates this pricing is within a reasonable range. The firm-fixed-price contract type helps manage cost uncertainty for the government. While specific cost breakdowns are not provided, the competitive award process suggests an effort to achieve value for money.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit bids. The presence of one bid suggests that while the competition was open, the number of interested and qualified bidders may have been limited. This could be due to the specialized nature of providing K-12 education services on a military installation or the specific geographic location.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is generally favorable for taxpayers as it encourages multiple bidders to offer their best prices, potentially driving down costs. However, with only one bid received, the government may have had less leverage to negotiate the lowest possible price compared to a scenario with multiple competitive offers.

Public Impact

Military families stationed at Dover Air Force Base benefit from consistent, high-quality K-12 educational services for their children. The contract ensures the operation of schools providing education from elementary through secondary levels. The geographic impact is localized to Dover Air Force Base and surrounding areas in Delaware. The contract supports the local education workforce by providing employment opportunities within the Caesar Rodney School District. This service is critical for maintaining military readiness by supporting the well-being and educational needs of service members' families.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Limited number of bids received (1) despite full and open competition could indicate potential barriers to entry or a lack of broader market interest.
The specific performance metrics and quality assurance measures are not detailed in the provided data, making it difficult to assess the contractor's performance track record beyond the award itself.

Positive Signals

Award to a local school district may foster stronger community ties and understanding of the military family's needs.
Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost certainty for the government over the contract period.
The contract duration of five years allows for stability and continuity of educational services for students.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Education Services sector, specifically focusing on elementary and secondary schooling. The market for providing educational services to military installations is a niche but essential part of the federal contracting landscape, managed primarily by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Spending in this area is driven by the need to provide consistent educational opportunities for children of service members regardless of their duty station. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other DoDEA school contracts across different bases.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that small business participation was not a specific set-aside requirement for this contract (ss: false, sb: false). As the contract was awarded to a school district, it is unlikely to involve significant subcontracting to small businesses for core educational services. The primary focus is on the direct provision of K-12 education. There is no explicit indication of how this contract might impact the broader small business ecosystem beyond potentially utilizing local suppliers for non-educational needs.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which is responsible for administering educational programs for military dependents. Accountability measures would be embedded within the contract's terms and conditions, likely including performance standards, reporting requirements, and payment schedules tied to service delivery. Transparency is facilitated through the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) where contract awards are reported. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) School Operations
Military Base Support Services
K-12 Education Contracts
Federal Education Funding

Risk Flags

Limited competition (1 bid)
Potential for price increases in future renewals due to limited bidder pool

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $53.3 million to CAESAR RODNEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. EDUCATION PROGRAM AS DOVER AIR FORCE BASE

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is CAESAR RODNEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Department of Defense Education Activity).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $53.3 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-07-01. End: 2025-06-30.

What is the track record of the Caesar Rodney School District in managing federal contracts, particularly those involving educational services on military installations?

The provided data does not offer specific details on the Caesar Rodney School District's prior experience with federal contracts, especially those on military installations. As a public school district, its primary experience lies in managing local and state educational budgets and operations. To assess its track record for this specific contract, further investigation into its history with DoDEA or similar government entities would be necessary. This would involve reviewing past performance evaluations, any documented issues, and the scale of previous federal funding managed. Without this information, it's difficult to definitively gauge their suitability beyond the fact they were awarded this contract.

How does the annual cost of this contract compare to the average cost per student for DoDEA schools nationwide?

The total contract value is $53,322,238.61 over approximately 1825 days (5 years), equating to an annual cost of roughly $10.66 million. To compare this to the average cost per student, we would need the projected student enrollment for this specific school or program at Dover Air Force Base. DoDEA's per-pupil spending can fluctuate annually and by location. For instance, if the enrollment is around 1,000 students, the per-pupil cost would be approximately $10,660 annually. This figure would then need to be benchmarked against DoDEA's most recent reported average per-pupil expenditure across all its schools to determine if it is higher, lower, or in line with the national average.

What are the specific performance standards and metrics used to evaluate the contractor's success in delivering educational services?

The provided summary data does not detail the specific performance standards or metrics for this contract. Typically, contracts of this nature include clauses related to educational outcomes, student attendance, teacher qualifications, facility maintenance, and adherence to curriculum standards. Performance would likely be monitored through regular reporting, site visits, and potentially student assessment data. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has established quality assurance surveillance plans (QASPs) for its contracts. A thorough review of the contract document itself, including any attached performance work statements (PWS) and QASPs, would be required to identify the precise metrics and evaluation criteria.

Given the 'full and open competition' with only one bid, what are the potential risks to the government regarding future contract renewals or extensions?

The risk to the government in a 'full and open competition' with only one bid is that the incumbent contractor may face less pressure to offer competitive pricing in the future, especially if they are the sole provider with the necessary infrastructure and expertise. For subsequent renewals or extensions, the government might find itself negotiating with a contractor who has established operational control and potentially limited alternatives. This could lead to price increases or less favorable terms. To mitigate this, the government should actively seek to broaden the pool of potential bidders for future solicitations, perhaps by breaking down the requirement into smaller lots or ensuring clear performance expectations are met to encourage new entrants.

What is the historical spending trend for K-12 education services at Dover Air Force Base prior to this contract award?

The provided data focuses solely on the current contract award (2020-2025) and does not include historical spending information for K-12 education services at Dover Air Force Base. To determine historical spending trends, one would need to access historical contract data from sources like the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) or agency-specific databases. This would involve searching for previous contracts awarded for similar educational services at this installation, noting their values, durations, and awarded contractors. Analyzing this data over several years would reveal patterns of spending, potential increases or decreases, and the stability of service providers.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Educational Services › Elementary and Secondary Schools › Elementary and Secondary Schools

Product/Service Code: EDUCATION AND TRAINING › EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: HE125420R0002

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 219 OLD NORTH RD, CAMDEN WYOMING, DE, 19934

Business Categories: Category Business, Government, U.S. Local Government, U.S. National Government, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $54,322,239

Exercised Options: $53,322,239

Current Obligation: $53,322,239

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline