DoD Awards $147.4M for Small Arms Engineering Services, Sole-Source to General Dynamics
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $14,744,160 ($14.7M)
Contractor: General Dynamics Armament and
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Start Date: 2001-09-10
End Date: 2006-05-19
Contract Duration: 1,712 days
Daily Burn Rate: $8.6K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Defense
Official Description: 200112!004992!1700!A8122 !NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER, AIRCRA!N0042101C0314 !A!N!*!N! !20010910!20050909!077219350!003567125!001381284!N!GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT SYST!128 LAKESIDE AVENUE !BURLINGTON !VT!05401!10675!007!50!BURLINGTON !CHITTENDEN !VERMONT !+000002819447!N!N!000000000000!R425!ENGINEERING TECHNICAL SERVICES !A5 !WEAPONS !2000!NOT DISCERNABLE OR CLASSIFIED !332994!*!*!1! ! ! !*!*!*!B!*!*!A! !D !N!J!1!001!N!1A!Z!N!Z! ! !N!C!N! ! ! !A!A!A!A!000!A!B!N! ! ! ! ! ! !0001!
Place of Performance
Location: BURLINGTON, CHITTENDEN County, VERMONT, 05401
State: Vermont Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
Department of Defense obligated $14.7 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT AND for work described as: 200112!004992!1700!A8122 !NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER, AIRCRA!N0042101C0314 !A!N!*!N! !20010910!20050909!077219350!003567125!001381284!N!GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT SYST!128 LAKESIDE AVENUE !BURLINGTON !VT!05401!10675!007!50!BURLINGTON !CHITT… Key points: 1. Significant contract value for specialized engineering services. 2. Sole-source award raises questions about competition and price discovery. 3. Potential for higher costs due to lack of competitive bidding. 4. Services support critical weapons systems for the Navy.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract value of $147.4 million for engineering technical services is substantial. Without competitive bidding, it's difficult to assess if this price is optimal compared to similar services procured through competitive means.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
The contract was awarded sole-source, indicating no other vendors were considered. This limits price discovery and may not yield the best value for taxpayers.
Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition in this sole-source award could lead to higher costs for taxpayers than if the contract had been competitively bid.
Public Impact
Taxpayers may be paying a premium for engineering services due to the sole-source nature of the award. The Department of the Navy relies on General Dynamics for critical weapons system support. Lack of transparency in the procurement process could be a concern for oversight.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award
- Lack of competition
- Potential for overpayment
Positive Signals
- Supports critical defense systems
- Long-term relationship with contractor
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the defense sector, specifically supporting weapons systems. Engineering technical services are crucial for maintaining and developing advanced military capabilities. Benchmarks for such specialized services can vary widely.
Small Business Impact
The data does not indicate any specific provisions or considerations for small businesses in this sole-source award to General Dynamics.
Oversight & Accountability
The sole-source nature of this award warrants scrutiny regarding the justification for not seeking competitive proposals. Oversight should ensure the necessity and fair pricing of such awards.
Related Government Programs
- Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing
- Department of Defense Contracting
- Department of the Navy Programs
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award lacks competition.
- Potential for non-competitive pricing.
- Limited transparency in procurement.
- Dependency on a single contractor for critical services.
Tags
small-arms-ordnance-and-ordnance-accesso, department-of-defense, vt, dca, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
Department of Defense awarded $14.7 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT AND. 200112!004992!1700!A8122 !NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER, AIRCRA!N0042101C0314 !A!N!*!N! !20010910!20050909!077219350!003567125!001381284!N!GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT SYST!128 LAKESIDE AVENUE !BURLINGTON !VT!05401!10675!007!50!BURLINGTON !CHITTENDEN !VERMONT !+000002819447!N!N!000000000000!R425!ENGINEERING TECHNICAL SERVICES !A5 !WEAPONS !2000!NOT DISCERNABLE OR CLASSIFIED !332994!*!*!1! ! ! !*!*!*!B!*!*!A!
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is GENERAL DYNAMICS ARMAMENT AND.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Department of the Navy).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $14.7 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2001-09-10. End: 2006-05-19.
What was the justification for awarding this contract sole-source instead of pursuing a competitive process?
The justification for a sole-source award typically involves circumstances where only one responsible source can provide the required supplies or services. This could be due to unique capabilities, proprietary technology, or urgent and compelling needs. Without further documentation, the specific rationale remains unclear, but agencies must demonstrate why competition is not feasible or not in the government's best interest.
How does the pricing of this sole-source contract compare to similar engineering services procured competitively?
Direct comparison is challenging without access to pricing data from comparable competitive contracts. However, sole-source awards inherently carry a higher risk of inflated prices due to the absence of market pressure. A thorough cost analysis by the agency would be necessary to validate the reasonableness of the price, but external benchmarks are difficult to establish definitively.
What is the long-term impact on the Navy's weapons systems development and maintenance due to this sole-source arrangement?
While General Dynamics may possess unique expertise, a sole-source arrangement can limit the Navy's access to potentially innovative solutions or cost efficiencies from other qualified contractors. Over time, this could stifle competition within the supply chain and potentially lead to increased long-term costs or a slower pace of technological advancement if alternative solutions are not explored.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Manufacturing › Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing › Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing
Product/Service Code: WEAPONS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Contractor Details
Address: 128 LAKESIDE AVENUE, BURLINGTON, VT, 00
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business
Contract Characteristics
Cost or Pricing Data: YES
Timeline
Start Date: 2001-09-10
Current End Date: 2006-05-19
Potential End Date: 2006-05-19 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2008-11-05
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