State Dept. awards $16.6M for administrative support, lacking competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $16,614,075 ($16.6M)

Contractor: Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of State

Start Date: 2009-09-13

End Date: 2014-12-31

Contract Duration: 1,935 days

Daily Burn Rate: $8.6K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AT THE DS TRAINING CENTER

Place of Performance

Location: DUNN LORING, FAIRFAX County, VIRGINIA, 22027

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of State obligated $16.6 million to ALUTIIQ INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS, LLC for work described as: ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AT THE DS TRAINING CENTER Key points: 1. High contract value for administrative services. 2. Sole-source award limits price discovery. 3. Potential for higher costs due to lack of competition. 4. Services fall under office administrative support sector.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract value of $16.6M for administrative support services is substantial. Without competitive bidding, it's difficult to benchmark pricing against similar contracts to assess value for money.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was not competed under SAP, indicating a sole-source or limited competition award. This significantly restricts price discovery and potentially leads to inflated costs for taxpayers.

Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition likely resulted in higher costs than a fully competed contract, impacting taxpayer funds.

Public Impact

Taxpayers may have overpaid due to the absence of competitive bidding. Limited transparency in the award process raises concerns about fairness. The State Department relies on a single vendor for critical administrative functions.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Lack of competition
Sole-source award
Potential for overpayment

Positive Signals

Firm Fixed Price contract type

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under the Office Administrative Services sector (NAICS 561110). Spending in this sector can vary widely, but competitive procurement is key to ensuring efficiency and value.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not awarded to a small business (SB: false). This represents a missed opportunity to support small business growth within the federal contracting landscape.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award warrants further oversight to ensure the pricing is fair and reasonable, and that future requirements are competed whenever possible.

Related Government Programs

Office Administrative Services
Department of State Contracting
Department of State Programs

Risk Flags

Sole-source award
Lack of competition
Potential for inflated pricing
No small business participation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of State awarded $16.6 million to ALUTIIQ INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS, LLC. ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AT THE DS TRAINING CENTER

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ALUTIIQ INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of State (Department of State).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $16.6 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2009-09-13. End: 2014-12-31.

What was the justification for awarding this contract sole-source?

The justification for a sole-source award is crucial for understanding why competition was bypassed. Without this information, it's impossible to assess if the government received the best possible value or if alternative solutions were adequately explored. This lack of transparency hinders accountability.

How does the $16.6M cost compare to industry benchmarks for similar administrative support services?

Without competitive bids, a direct comparison to industry benchmarks is challenging. However, the significant value suggests that a competitive process could have yielded substantial cost savings for the taxpayer. Further analysis would require access to detailed service descriptions and pricing structures.

What measures are in place to ensure the quality and effectiveness of services provided by ALUTIIQ INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS, LLC?

While the contract type is Firm Fixed Price, which incentivizes contractor performance, oversight is still critical. The Department of State should have robust performance monitoring mechanisms to ensure the administrative support services meet required standards and deliver effective outcomes.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Office Administrative Services › Office Administrative Services

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

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: Afognak Native Corp (UEI: 052089695)

Address: 3909 ARCTIC BLVD. SUITE 400, ANCHORAGE, AK, 00

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Special Designations

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $16,614,075

Exercised Options: $16,614,075

Current Obligation: $16,614,075

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: SAQMMA07D0044

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline