NASA awards $19.7M for High Performance Computing System Integration and Support to General Dynamics IT
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $19,704,584 ($19.7M)
Contractor: General Dynamics Information Technology Inc.
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2009-05-02
End Date: 2012-12-04
Contract Duration: 1,312 days
Daily Burn Rate: $15.0K/day
Competition Type: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Number of Offers Received: 21
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE
Sector: IT
Official Description: HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING SYSTEM INTEGRATION, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT AT NCCS
Place of Performance
Location: ROCKVILLE, MONTGOMERY County, MARYLAND, 20850
State: Maryland Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $19.7 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INC. for work described as: HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING SYSTEM INTEGRATION, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT AT NCCS Key points: 1. Contract value represents a significant investment in advanced computing capabilities. 2. Competition dynamics for this delivery order suggest a competitive bidding process. 3. Performance risk is managed through an award fee structure, incentivizing quality. 4. The contract duration spans over three years, indicating a long-term need. 5. This contract falls within the IT services sector, supporting critical research infrastructure.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract's value of $19.7 million over approximately three years for HPC system integration and support appears reasonable given the specialized nature of the services. Benchmarking against similar large-scale IT support contracts for federal research facilities would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment. The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure allows for performance-based incentives, which can drive efficiency and quality, but also requires robust oversight to ensure costs remain controlled.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
This contract was awarded as a competitive delivery order, indicating that multiple vendors likely had the opportunity to bid. The presence of 21 offers suggests a robust level of competition for this requirement. A competitive process generally leads to better price discovery and potentially more favorable terms for the government.
Taxpayer Impact: The competitive nature of this award is beneficial for taxpayers, as it likely resulted in a more cost-effective solution compared to a sole-source or limited competition scenario.
Public Impact
Benefits researchers and scientists at NASA's National Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS) by providing essential computing infrastructure. Delivers critical IT services for high-performance computing, including integration, administration, operations, and support. Supports advanced scientific research and development across various disciplines requiring significant computational power. Ensures the operational readiness and performance of complex computing systems vital for NASA's mission.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Cost Plus Award Fee contracts require diligent oversight to ensure award fees are justified and costs are managed effectively.
- The duration of the contract (over 3 years) necessitates ongoing monitoring of performance and contractor responsiveness.
Positive Signals
- The competitive award process with 21 offers indicates strong market interest and potential for value.
- The use of an award fee structure incentivizes the contractor to meet or exceed performance expectations.
- General Dynamics Information Technology has a significant presence in federal IT contracting, suggesting experience with similar requirements.
Sector Analysis
The Information Technology sector, specifically Computer Systems Design Services, is a critical component of federal operations. This contract for High Performance Computing (HPC) system integration and support is vital for agencies like NASA that rely on massive computational power for research and development. The market for HPC services is specialized and competitive, with significant investments made by government agencies to maintain state-of-the-art capabilities. Comparable spending benchmarks would focus on large-scale IT infrastructure support contracts within federal research and scientific agencies.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was awarded competitively and does not specify any small business set-aside provisions (ss: false, sb: false). While General Dynamics Information Technology is a large business, the competitive nature of the award means that smaller businesses could have potentially participated as subcontractors. Further analysis would be needed to determine the extent of small business subcontracting in the performance of this contract.
Oversight & Accountability
The contract is a Delivery Order under a larger contract vehicle, implying that oversight mechanisms are in place at the contracting agency level (NASA). The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure necessitates performance monitoring and evaluation to determine award fee payouts. Transparency would be enhanced by public reporting of performance metrics and award fee decisions. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply to potential fraud, waste, or abuse related to the contract.
Related Government Programs
- NASA High Performance Computing
- Federal IT Infrastructure Support
- Computer Systems Design Services
- Research and Development IT Support
Risk Flags
- Performance risk associated with complex system integration and long-term operations.
- Potential for cost overruns in Cost Plus Award Fee contracts if not managed diligently.
- Dependency on contractor expertise for critical HPC infrastructure.
Tags
it-services, nasa, national-aeronautics-and-space-administration, competitive-delivery-order, large-contract, cost-plus-award-fee, computer-systems-design-services, high-performance-computing, maryland, general-dynamics-information-technology
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $19.7 million to GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INC.. HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING SYSTEM INTEGRATION, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT AT NCCS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INC..
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $19.7 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2009-05-02. End: 2012-12-04.
What is the historical spending trend for High Performance Computing (HPC) system integration and support at NASA?
Analyzing historical spending on HPC at NASA requires examining contracts specifically related to system integration, administration, operations, and support over several fiscal years. This particular contract, valued at approximately $19.7 million and awarded in May 2009 with an end date in December 2012, represents a significant investment during its period of performance. To understand trends, one would need to aggregate spending on similar services across different NASA centers and programs. Factors influencing spending include technological advancements requiring more powerful systems, increased research demands, and budget allocations for IT infrastructure. A review of NASA's budget justifications and contract databases would reveal if spending in this area has been consistent, increasing, or decreasing over time, and whether this contract was part of a larger, ongoing investment in HPC capabilities.
How does the performance of General Dynamics Information Technology on this contract compare to their other federal IT contracts?
Assessing General Dynamics Information Technology's (GDIT) performance on this specific NASA contract requires access to performance evaluation reports, award fee determinations, and any contract modifications or disputes. GDIT is a large federal contractor with a broad portfolio. To compare performance, one would analyze metrics such as on-time delivery, adherence to technical specifications, cost control (especially relevant for CPAF), and customer satisfaction ratings. Benchmarking this contract's outcomes against other similar IT support contracts awarded to GDIT by agencies like the Department of Defense or other civilian agencies would provide context. A review of contract databases like FPDS-NG or USAspending.gov, along with agency-specific performance management systems, would be necessary to gather this comparative data and identify any patterns in GDIT's performance across different contracts and agencies.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to evaluate the contractor's success under this Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract?
Under a Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract, the key performance indicators (KPIs) are crucial for determining the contractor's eligibility for award fees. While the specific KPIs are detailed within the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS) and the contract clauses, they typically revolve around critical aspects of system integration, administration, operations, and support for High Performance Computing (HPC) systems. Examples of KPIs could include system uptime and availability percentages, response times for incident resolution, successful completion of system upgrades and maintenance within scheduled windows, adherence to security protocols, achievement of specific performance benchmarks for computational throughput, and overall user satisfaction. The government's evaluation team monitors these KPIs throughout the contract period, providing regular feedback and ultimately deciding the extent of the award fee based on the contractor's performance against these defined metrics.
What is the potential impact of this contract on the broader High Performance Computing (HPC) market and technological advancements?
This contract, by funding the integration, administration, operations, and support of HPC systems at NASA's NCCS, directly contributes to maintaining and advancing critical computational infrastructure. Such investments stimulate demand for cutting-edge hardware (processors, interconnects, storage), specialized software, and skilled personnel within the HPC ecosystem. The operational experience gained and the challenges overcome in supporting these systems can lead to innovations in system design, management techniques, and energy efficiency, which may then influence broader market trends. Furthermore, the research enabled by these powerful computing resources can lead to scientific breakthroughs, indirectly impacting technological advancements across various fields. The success of contractors in delivering these services can also foster competition and drive improvements in service delivery models within the HPC sector.
How does the $19.7 million contract value compare to NASA's overall IT spending or spending on similar computing services?
The $19.7 million contract value for High Performance Computing (HPC) system integration, administration, operations, and support at NASA's NCCS needs to be contextualized within NASA's broader IT budget and its specific investments in advanced computing. NASA's total IT spending can run into hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars annually, covering a wide array of services from enterprise resource planning systems to cybersecurity and scientific computing. HPC represents a specialized, high-cost segment within this. Comparing this $19.7 million figure to NASA's dedicated HPC budgets or other similar large-scale computing contracts (e.g., supercomputing center operations, data analytics platforms) would provide a clearer picture. For instance, if NASA operates multiple large HPC centers, this contract might represent a significant portion of the operational budget for one center, or a smaller component of overall advanced computing investment. Understanding the proportion this contract represents relative to NASA's total IT or R&D computing expenditures is key to assessing its scale.
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: COMPETITIVE DELIVERY ORDER
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 21
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE (R)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: General Dynamics Corp (UEI: 001381284)
Address: 3170 FAIRVIEW PARK DR, FALLS CHURCH, VA, 22042
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $35,175,270
Exercised Options: $35,175,270
Current Obligation: $19,704,584
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: GS00T99ALD0203
IDV Type: GWAC
Timeline
Start Date: 2009-05-02
Current End Date: 2012-12-04
Potential End Date: 2012-12-04 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2018-09-06
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