HHS awards $2M for business entity data management, with a significant portion for CLIN 0001

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $21,789,610 ($21.8M)

Contractor: DUN & Bradstreet, Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2009-09-18

End Date: 2015-03-20

Contract Duration: 2,009 days

Daily Burn Rate: $10.8K/day

Competition Type: NON-COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: OIM-09-0220-OIM0143BUSINESS ENTITY DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES69999SYSUPM1111059CDRHINSTEAD OF ROUNDTRIPPING THE REQUISITION I'VE INCORPORATED INTO THE CONTRACT THE APPROPRIATE CLIN STRUCTURE AS AN ATTACHMENT. FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES THE CLIN STRUCTURE IS FOLLOWS:CLIN 0001 - 1,187,641.45CLIN 0002 - $230,3000.00CLIN 0003 - $98,158.55CLIN 0004 - $215,100.00CLIN 0005 - $127,320.00CLIN 0006 - $141,480.00TOTAL AWARD - $2,000,000.00

Place of Performance

Location: ARLINGTON, ARLINGTON County, VIRGINIA, 22203

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $21.8 million to DUN & BRADSTREET, INC for work described as: OIM-09-0220-OIM0143BUSINESS ENTITY DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES69999SYSUPM1111059CDRHINSTEAD OF ROUNDTRIPPING THE REQUISITION I'VE INCORPORATED INTO THE CONTRACT THE APPROPRIATE CLIN STRUCTURE AS AN ATTACHMENT. FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES THE CLIN STRUCTURE IS FOLLOWS:CLIN 0001 - 1,187… Key points: 1. The contract's total value is $2,000,000, with CLIN 0001 representing the largest single component at over $1.18M. 2. This award was issued as a non-competitive delivery order, indicating a lack of broader market solicitation. 3. The contract duration spans from September 18, 2009, to March 20, 2015, a period of over five years. 4. The primary contractor is DUN & BRADSTREET, INC., a well-established entity in business information services. 5. The contract falls under the NAICS code 561450 (Credit Bureaus), aligning with data management and credit reporting functions. 6. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the specific agency within HHS utilizing these services.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

Benchmarking the value of this specific contract is challenging without detailed service descriptions and performance metrics. However, the total award of $2,000,000 over more than five years suggests a moderate annual expenditure. Given the contractor's established presence in data management, the pricing may reflect market rates for such services. Further analysis would require comparing the scope of work and deliverables to similar contracts for business entity data management within the federal government.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded as a non-competitive delivery order. This implies that the requirement was likely fulfilled through a pre-existing contract or a specific justification for sole-source procurement was made, bypassing a full and open competition. The lack of multiple bidders means there was no direct price comparison or negotiation against competing offers, potentially limiting the government's ability to secure the lowest possible price.

Taxpayer Impact: A sole-source award means taxpayers did not benefit from the cost savings that can arise from competitive bidding processes, where multiple vendors vie for the contract.

Public Impact

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) benefits from enhanced business entity data management capabilities. Services delivered likely support regulatory functions, compliance, and operational efficiency within the FDA. The geographic impact is primarily federal, supporting the FDA's national mission. Workforce implications are internal to the FDA, potentially improving data handling and analysis for its staff.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition may lead to higher costs for taxpayers.
Limited transparency into the justification for sole-source award.
Contract duration of over five years without re-competition could reduce flexibility.

Positive Signals

Award to a reputable contractor (DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.) with expertise in data management.
Clear delineation of contract line items (CLINs) for financial tracking.
Firm Fixed Price contract type provides cost certainty for the government.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the business support services sector, specifically related to data management and credit reporting, categorized under NAICS 561450. The market for such services is robust, with numerous providers offering solutions for data aggregation, verification, and analysis. Federal spending in this area supports various agencies' needs for managing information on entities they interact with, regulate, or provide services to. Comparable spending benchmarks would typically involve analyzing other contracts for similar data management solutions across different federal agencies.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to have a small business set-aside component, as indicated by 'ss': false and 'sb': false. DUN & BRADSTREET, INC. is a large corporation. There is no explicit information regarding subcontracting plans for small businesses within the provided data. Therefore, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem from this specific award is likely minimal, unless the prime contractor voluntarily engages small businesses for specialized services.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would fall under the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically the Food and Drug Administration. As a delivery order under a larger contract, its execution is subject to the terms and conditions of the base contract. Accountability measures would involve performance reviews and adherence to the firm fixed price agreement. Transparency is limited by the non-competitive nature of the award; further details on the justification for sole-source procurement would be needed for a full assessment.

Related Government Programs

HHS IT Services
FDA Data Management Contracts
Business Information Services Contracts
Credit Reporting Services

Risk Flags

Non-competitive award
Long contract duration
Lack of detailed service description in extract

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $21.8 million to DUN & BRADSTREET, INC. OIM-09-0220-OIM0143BUSINESS ENTITY DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES69999SYSUPM1111059CDRHINSTEAD OF ROUNDTRIPPING THE REQUISITION I'VE INCORPORATED INTO THE CONTRACT THE APPROPRIATE CLIN STRUCTURE AS AN ATTACHMENT. FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES THE CLIN STRUCTURE IS FOLLOWS:CLIN 0001 - 1,187,641.45CLIN 0002 - $230,3000.00CLIN 0003 - $98,158.55CLIN 0004 - $215,100.00CLIN 0005 - $127,320.00CLIN 0006 - $141,480.00TOTAL AWARD - $2,000,000.00

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (Food and Drug Administration).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $21.8 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2009-09-18. End: 2015-03-20.

What specific services are covered under CLIN 0001, which represents the largest portion of the contract value?

The provided data indicates that CLIN 0001 is valued at $1,187,641.45, making it the most significant component of the $2,000,000 total award. However, the specific services encompassed by CLIN 0001 are not detailed in the extract. Typically, in a contract for business entity data management, this could include services such as data acquisition, cleansing, validation, storage, and reporting. Given the contractor is DUN & BRADSTREET, INC., it likely pertains to core credit reporting, business information database access, or related data analytics services essential for the FDA's operations. A thorough review of the contract's statement of work would be necessary to ascertain the precise deliverables for this CLIN.

What was the justification for awarding this contract on a non-competitive (sole-source) basis?

The data explicitly states this contract was a 'NON-COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER'. While the specific justification is not provided in the extract, common reasons for sole-source awards include urgency, unique capabilities of a single contractor, or continuation of a previous effort where switching vendors would be impractical or costly. For DUN & BRADSTREET, INC., the justification might have been their established infrastructure, proprietary data, or specialized expertise in business entity data management that no other vendor could readily replicate for the FDA's specific needs at the time of award. A formal Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) would typically be on file with the contracting agency.

How does the contract's duration (2009-2015) compare to typical federal contracts for similar data management services?

A contract duration spanning over five years (September 18, 2009, to March 20, 2015) is relatively long for a federal contract, especially for IT-related services like data management, which can evolve rapidly. While longer-term contracts can offer stability and potentially better pricing through economies of scale, they also carry risks of obsolescence and reduced flexibility. Modern federal acquisition regulations often encourage shorter contract durations with options for renewal to ensure agencies can adapt to changing technological landscapes and re-evaluate market competitiveness. This contract's length might reflect a stable, long-term need for DUN & BRADSTREET's specific data services or a strategic decision made at the time of award.

What is the significance of the NAICS code 561450 (Credit Bureaus) in the context of this FDA contract?

The assignment of NAICS code 561450 (Credit Bureaus) to this contract signifies that the primary business activity being procured relates to the services typically offered by credit reporting agencies. For the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this likely translates to accessing and managing data related to businesses, manufacturers, suppliers, or other entities within its regulatory purview. This could include financial standing, compliance history, ownership information, or other data points crucial for risk assessment, due diligence, and regulatory oversight. DUN & BRADSTREET, INC. is a major player in this sector, making their involvement logical under this classification.

Are there any performance metrics or quality assurance details available for this contract?

The provided data extract does not contain specific details regarding performance metrics, quality assurance surveillance plans (QASP), or key performance indicators (KPIs) for this contract. Such information is typically found within the contract's statement of work, performance work statement, or associated contract clauses. Given the firm fixed price nature of the award, the government's primary concern would be receiving the contracted services as specified. However, without access to the full contract documentation, it's impossible to assess the robustness of the oversight and performance monitoring mechanisms in place.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Business Support Services › Credit Bureaus

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NON-COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: THE DUN & Bradstreet Corporation (UEI: 884114609)

Address: 1700 N MOORE ST STE 1250, ARLINGTON, VA, 22209

Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $21,789,610

Exercised Options: $21,789,610

Current Obligation: $21,789,610

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: GS22F9614D

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline