OPM's $38.6M Help Desk Contract Awarded to Global Support Services LLC Faced No Competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $38,610,585 ($38.6M)

Contractor: Global Support Services LLC

Awarding Agency: Office of Personnel Management

Start Date: 2010-09-24

End Date: 2016-03-31

Contract Duration: 2,015 days

Daily Burn Rate: $19.2K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: HELP DESK SUPPORT

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20515

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Office of Personnel Management obligated $38.6 million to GLOBAL SUPPORT SERVICES LLC for work described as: HELP DESK SUPPORT Key points: 1. The contract utilized a sole-source award, bypassing competitive bidding processes. 2. The firm-fixed-price contract type suggests a defined scope and predictable costs. 3. The contract duration spanned over five years, indicating a long-term need for services. 4. The award was made to Global Support Services LLC, a single vendor. 5. The service category is Computer Facilities Management Services, essential for IT operations. 6. The contract was not competed under the simplified acquisition procedures (SAP).

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

Benchmarking the value of this $38.6 million contract is challenging without comparable sole-source awards for similar help desk services. The firm-fixed-price structure provides cost certainty for the government, but the lack of competition raises concerns about whether the government secured the best possible price. Without a competitive process, it's difficult to assess if the pricing aligns with market rates for comprehensive IT help desk support.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, meaning it was not competed. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) did not solicit bids from multiple vendors. This approach bypasses the standard competitive process, which typically involves soliciting proposals from various qualified companies to ensure the best value and price for the government. The lack of competition limits the government's ability to leverage market forces for cost savings.

Taxpayer Impact: Sole-source awards mean taxpayers may not benefit from the cost efficiencies typically achieved through competitive bidding, potentially leading to higher overall spending for the same services.

Public Impact

Federal employees and contractors requiring IT support benefit from the help desk services. The services provided are crucial for the day-to-day IT operations of the Office of Personnel Management. The contract's geographic impact is primarily within the District of Columbia, where OPM is headquartered. The contract supports IT personnel employed by Global Support Services LLC.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition may have led to suboptimal pricing.
Sole-source awards can indicate potential issues with market research or vendor lock-in.
The extended duration of the contract without competition warrants scrutiny.

Positive Signals

Firm-fixed-price contract provides cost predictability.
The service category is well-defined, suggesting a clear need.
The contract was awarded to a single entity, potentially simplifying management.

Sector Analysis

The IT services sector, particularly help desk and computer facilities management, is a significant area of federal spending. Agencies rely heavily on these services to maintain operational efficiency and support their workforce. While many IT services are competed, sole-source awards can occur for various reasons, including specialized needs or limited vendor availability. Benchmarking this contract's value against similar IT support contracts, especially those awarded competitively, would provide further insight.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to have a small business set-aside component, as indicated by 'sb: false'. Furthermore, there is no explicit information regarding subcontracting plans for small businesses. The sole-source nature of the award further limits opportunities for small businesses to participate in this specific contract, potentially impacting the broader small business ecosystem for IT services.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically fall under the Office of Personnel Management's contracting and program management offices. As a sole-source award, it may have undergone specific justification and approval processes. Transparency regarding the justification for the sole-source award and performance metrics would be key to assessing accountability. The Inspector General's office for OPM would have jurisdiction for audits and investigations if any issues arose.

Related Government Programs

IT Help Desk Services
Computer Facilities Management
IT Support Services
Federal IT Contracts

Risk Flags

Sole-source award bypasses competition
Lack of transparency on justification for sole-source
Potential for non-competitive pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Office of Personnel Management awarded $38.6 million to GLOBAL SUPPORT SERVICES LLC. HELP DESK SUPPORT

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is GLOBAL SUPPORT SERVICES LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Office of Personnel Management (Office of Personnel Management).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $38.6 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2010-09-24. End: 2016-03-31.

What was the specific justification provided by OPM for awarding this contract on a sole-source basis?

The provided data does not include the specific justification for the sole-source award. Typically, agencies must demonstrate that only one responsible source is capable of providing the required services, or that compelling urgency, national security, or other specific circumstances necessitate a sole-source procurement. Without this documentation, it is impossible to fully assess the rationale behind bypassing the competitive process. This justification is crucial for understanding why a competitive bidding process was not pursued and whether it was in the government's best interest.

How does the total contract value of $38.6 million compare to similar IT help desk contracts awarded competitively?

Direct comparison of the $38.6 million total value to competitively awarded contracts is difficult without specific details on the scope, duration, and service levels of those comparable contracts. However, for a five-year period (implied by the start and end dates), this averages to approximately $7.7 million per year. This annual figure can be benchmarked against industry rates for IT help desk services, considering factors like the number of users supported, hours of operation, and complexity of IT systems. The lack of competition makes it harder to determine if this annual average represents a competitive market price.

What were the key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) associated with this contract?

The provided data does not specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) or service level agreements (SLAs) for this contract. For a help desk support contract, typical SLAs might include response times for ticket submission, resolution times for different priority levels, customer satisfaction ratings, and system uptime. The absence of this information makes it challenging to objectively assess the performance of Global Support Services LLC and the value delivered to the Office of Personnel Management. Understanding these metrics is vital for evaluating the effectiveness of the contracted services.

What is the track record of Global Support Services LLC in performing similar federal IT support contracts?

The provided data indicates that Global Support Services LLC was the contractor for this $38.6 million help desk support contract. To assess their track record, one would need to examine past performance evaluations, contract history, and any awards or penalties received on previous government contracts. Without access to this broader performance history, it's difficult to definitively gauge their reliability and capability in delivering IT support services. A review of their past performance on similar contracts would be essential for a comprehensive risk assessment.

What was the annual spending trend for this help desk support service over the contract's life?

The contract was awarded on September 24, 2010, and ended on March 31, 2016. The total value is $38,610,584.63. This implies an average annual spending of approximately $7.7 million. However, the exact annual spending would depend on the specific task orders or usage patterns throughout the contract period. Without a breakdown of spending by fiscal year, it's impossible to determine if spending was consistent or if there were significant fluctuations. The 'dur' field indicates 2015, which might refer to the year of award or a significant year within the contract, but doesn't provide a full spending profile.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Computer Facilities Management Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: OPM19-10-R-0023

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4600 DEBARR RD STE 200, ANCHORAGE, AK, 99508

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm, Category Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $41,274,293

Exercised Options: $38,790,568

Current Obligation: $38,610,585

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Timeline