DHS awards $20.4M for records management, with CMI Management LLC securing the BPA

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $20,386,215 ($20.4M)

Contractor: CMI Management, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Start Date: 2007-01-30

End Date: 2008-07-29

Contract Duration: 546 days

Daily Burn Rate: $37.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: NOT REPORTED

Sector: Other

Official Description: RECORDS-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: ALEXANDRIA, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22312

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Homeland Security obligated $20.4 million to CMI MANAGEMENT, LLC for work described as: RECORDS-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract value of $20.4M over its duration suggests a significant need for records management support. 2. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating a broad market search. 3. The BPA award mechanism allows for multiple task orders, offering flexibility but requiring careful management. 4. The contract duration of 546 days (approx. 1.5 years) is relatively short for a large federal contract. 5. The specific Product Service Code (PSC) is not detailed, making direct comparisons to similar services challenging. 6. The agency is the Department of Homeland Security, a large and complex organization with extensive records management needs.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The total award amount of $20.4M over approximately 1.5 years averages to roughly $1.1M per month. Without specific deliverables or performance metrics, it's difficult to benchmark this against similar contracts. The lack of detailed pricing information within the provided data makes a precise value-for-money assessment challenging. However, the scale of the award suggests a substantial requirement for records management services.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION,' which implies that all responsible sources were permitted to submit a bid. This approach generally fosters a competitive environment, potentially leading to better pricing and service offerings. The data does not specify the number of bidders, which would provide further insight into the intensity of the competition.

Taxpayer Impact: A full and open competition is generally favorable for taxpayers as it maximizes the pool of potential contractors, increasing the likelihood of receiving competitive bids and thus potentially lower prices.

Public Impact

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) benefits from improved records management processes. Services delivered likely include the organization, storage, retrieval, and disposition of federal records. The geographic impact is primarily within the operational areas of USCIS, likely concentrated in Virginia where the contract is noted. Workforce implications may include the need for skilled records management personnel, potentially sourced through CMI Management, LLC.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of detailed performance metrics makes it hard to assess effectiveness.
Short contract duration might indicate a need for interim services or a precursor to a larger, longer-term contract.
The BPA mechanism, while flexible, can lead to uncoordinated spending if not managed tightly.

Positive Signals

Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a robust vetting of potential contractors.
The contract supports a critical function for USCIS: records management.
The contractor, CMI Management, LLC, has secured a significant federal award, indicating some level of established capability.

Sector Analysis

Records management services fall under the broader professional, scientific, and technical services sector. This sector is characterized by a wide range of specialized expertise. Federal spending in this area is crucial for agencies to comply with legal mandates regarding record keeping, information security, and public access. Benchmarking this contract's value against the overall federal IT and administrative support spending would place it as a mid-tier award within a vast market.

Small Business Impact

The provided data indicates that small business participation (sb) was false, and there was no specific small business set-aside (ss) for this contract. This suggests that the primary award went to a larger entity or that subcontracting opportunities for small businesses were not a specified requirement of the prime contract. Further analysis would be needed to determine if CMI Management, LLC utilizes small businesses in its subcontracting efforts.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically reside with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) contracting officers and program managers. Accountability measures would be defined in the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and any subsequent task orders, likely including performance standards and reporting requirements. Transparency is facilitated by contract databases like FPDS, where this award is recorded, though detailed task order specifics may not always be publicly available.

Related Government Programs

Federal Records Centers Program
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) services
Department of Homeland Security Records Management Policies
Information Governance Contracts

Risk Flags

Potential PSC misclassification (541860 vs. Records Management)
Limited duration of BPA may indicate interim solution
Lack of specific performance metrics in provided data
No indication of small business subcontracting goals

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Homeland Security awarded $20.4 million to CMI MANAGEMENT, LLC. RECORDS-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is CMI MANAGEMENT, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $20.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2007-01-30. End: 2008-07-29.

What is the specific nature of the records management support provided by CMI Management, LLC under this contract?

The provided data indicates the contract is for 'RECORDS-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES' awarded to CMI MANAGEMENT, LLC by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While the Product Service Code (PSC) is listed as '541860' (Direct Mail Advertising), this appears to be an error or misclassification given the contract description. Typically, records management support encompasses a range of activities including the creation, organization, maintenance, retrieval, storage, and disposition of physical and electronic records in compliance with federal regulations. This could involve services such as document scanning, indexing, archival, secure destruction, and digital asset management. The specific tasks would be detailed in the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and any subsequent task orders issued under it.

How does the $20.4M award compare to typical federal spending on records management services?

The $20.4 million award for records management support services over approximately 1.5 years is a substantial sum, averaging over $1.1 million per month. Federal spending on records management can vary significantly based on agency size, the volume and type of records managed, and the scope of services required (e.g., digitization, physical storage, disposition). Larger agencies like DHS often have extensive needs. Without more granular data on the specific services rendered and the contract's performance period, direct comparison is difficult. However, this award falls within the range of significant federal contracts for specialized administrative and information management support.

What are the potential risks associated with a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for records management?

Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) offer flexibility but also introduce potential risks. For records management, a key risk is scope creep, where the services provided under various task orders expand beyond the original intent without adequate price adjustments or oversight. Another risk is inconsistent service quality if task orders are managed by different program offices without centralized coordination. Furthermore, the flexibility of BPAs can sometimes lead to less stringent price competition on individual task orders compared to competitively awarded firm-fixed-price contracts, potentially increasing costs for taxpayers if not managed diligently. Ensuring clear performance standards and robust oversight across all task orders is crucial to mitigate these risks.

What is the track record of CMI Management, LLC in providing federal records management services?

The provided data shows CMI Management, LLC received this $20.4 million award for records management support services from DHS/USCIS. This indicates the company has successfully competed for and been awarded a significant federal contract in this domain. However, this single data point does not provide a comprehensive view of their track record. To assess their performance history, one would need to examine past contract awards, performance evaluations (e.g., Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System - CPARS), and any history of contract disputes or issues with other federal agencies. The duration of this specific contract (approx. 1.5 years) also limits its utility in assessing long-term performance.

How does the 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION' award mechanism impact the value proposition for USCIS?

Awarding the records management support services contract through 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION' is generally beneficial for USCIS and taxpayers. This mechanism maximizes the number of potential bidders by allowing any interested and qualified vendor to submit a proposal. A larger pool of bidders typically intensifies competition, which can drive down prices, encourage innovation, and lead to higher quality services as contractors vie for the award. It ensures that USCIS is not limited to a pre-selected group of vendors, increasing the likelihood of securing the best possible value for the government's investment in records management.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services › Direct Mail Advertising

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Pricing Type: NOT REPORTED (NO)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4324 EVERGREEN LN STE B, ANNANDALE, VA, 90

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: HSSCCG05A0047

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline