Decision Released: Protest Denial of USAF Mission Support Services IDIQ

File NO. B-422731, B-422731.3

Digest

1. Protest challenging the agency’s price realism evaluation is denied where the agency’s use of a standard deviation methodology was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.
2. Protest alleging that agency misevaluated technical proposals and made an unreasonable source selection decision is denied where the record shows that the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.

Discussion

The protester argues that the agency’s price realism evaluation was unreasonable and deviated from the terms of the solicitation. Comments and Supp. Protest at 14-17. Specifically, the protester argues that the agency improperly included labor rates for all offerors in computing the benchmark rates without first assessing whether the rates were realistic. Id. Additionally, the protester argues that the solicitation provided that the agency would consider the extent to which the proposed labor rates indicate a clear understanding of the requirements and determine whether they reflect a sound approach to satisfying those requirements. Id. Finally, the protester argues that the fact that Gemini’s TEP was 10 percent below the average TEP should have alerted the agency to the possibility that Gemini’s proposal was unrealistic and prompted additional scrutiny.

In response, the agency argues that the solicitation explained the agency’s price evaluation methodology in detail. Supp. Memorandum of Law (MOL) at 8-14. Specifically, the solicitation explained that the realism analysis would use a defined methodology involving benchmark rates and an assessment of whether labor rates were within two standard deviations of those benchmarks …

Decision

ITSC Secure Solutions JV, LLC, (ITSC) a small business of Owens Crossroads, Alabama, protests the issuance of a task order to Gemini Industries, Inc., a small business of Fairfax, Virginia, pursuant to fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA714624R0002 issued under General Services Administration’s (GSA) One Acquisition for Integrated Services (OASIS) multiple award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by the United States Air Force for a variety of mission support services. The protester alleges that the agency erred in its evaluation of proposals and best-value tradeoff in several respects.

We deny the protest.

Read the decision here.

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