Test competition in concentrated office × product-or-service cells.
The dataset shows 60 matches for this pattern; the 50 largest are cited here — contracting-office × PSC cells with an HHI of at least 1,500 and above their administration's 90th percentile over the last 36 months, covering $2.9B. Concentration can be structural (AbilityOne, utilities, a single local market); persistent concentration elsewhere suggests testing the market. The recommendation is grounded in 50 pattern-detector matches across the VA award data. Each cited match links back to specific source records, so every dollar in the headline can be re-added from them. Dollars are obligations on the cited records, not estimated losses.
Net obligations involved is the sum of the cited matches' obligations (commitments recorded on USAspending.gov). It is the scale of the records to review, not an estimate of loss, improper payment or recoverable money; totals across recommendations can overlap.
Risk overview
Persistent concentration without documented market research is inconsistent with FAR 6.1's full-and-open-competition default.
Single-vendor dependency increases delivery risk if the incumbent exits.
Concentration metrics are easy for outside reviewers to compute from public data.
Justification & audit trail
50 cited matches · $2.9B in net obligations involved
The dataset shows 60 matches for this pattern; the 50 largest are cited here — contracting-office × PSC cells with an HHI of at least 1,500 and above their administration's 90th percentile over the last 36 months, covering $2.9B. Concentration can be structural (AbilityOne, utilities, a single local market); persistent concentration elsewhere suggests testing the market. The recommendation is grounded in 50 pattern-detector matches across the VA award data. Each cited match links back to specific source records, so every dollar in the headline can be re-added from them. Dollars are obligations on the cited records, not estimated losses.
- hhi$10Ksource: app.award_current
- top_recipientUNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO.source: app.award_current
- window_obligations$51.2Msource: app.award_current
- hhi$10Ksource: app.award_current
- top_recipientWORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY LLCsource: app.award_current
- window_obligations$56.6Msource: app.award_current
| Source | Row | Field | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| app.award_current | NAC FACILITY PURCHASING SUPPORT (36S797) · R604 | hhi | 9,997 |
| app.award_current | NAC FACILITY PURCHASING SUPPORT (36S797) · R604 | top_recipient | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO. |
| app.award_current | NAC FACILITY PURCHASING SUPPORT (36S797) · R604 | window_obligations | 51,220,995 |
| app.award_current | TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION CENTER NJ (36C10B) · DF10 | hhi | 9,958 |
| app.award_current | TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION CENTER NJ (36C10B) · DF10 | top_recipient | WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY LLC |
| app.award_current | TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION CENTER NJ (36C10B) · DF10 | window_obligations | 56,619,832 |
| app.award_current | 261-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 21 (36C261) · Z2AZ | hhi | 9,936 |
| app.award_current | 261-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 21 (36C261) · Z2AZ | top_recipient | OVERWATCH AMOROSO LLC |
| app.award_current | 261-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 21 (36C261) · Z2AZ | window_obligations | 25,428,748 |
| app.award_current | 249-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 9 (36C249) · V111 | hhi | 9,874 |
| app.award_current | 249-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 9 (36C249) · V111 | top_recipient | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO. |
| app.award_current | 249-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 9 (36C249) · V111 | window_obligations | 10,547,242 |
| app.award_current | 252-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 12 (36C252) · Z2NZ | hhi | 9,849 |
| app.award_current | 252-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 12 (36C252) · Z2NZ | top_recipient | BLUE PACIFIC JV LLC |
| app.award_current | 252-NETWORK CONTRACT OFFICE 12 (36C252) · Z2NZ | window_obligations | 34,425,088 |
Timeline & dependencies
- D+14Audit committee briefed
- D+45Evidence pack assembled
- D+90Decision recorded
Calibrated next steps
- 01Separate cells with a single source by law or by market from those where competition is feasible.
- 02For the rest, review recent sources-sought responses and the number of offers received on recent awards.