Decision Released: Protest Denial of NGA RFQ Audit Management and Support Services Contract

DIGEST

Protest that agency improperly evaluated protester’s quotation for the establishment of multiple blanket purchase agreements as unacceptable is denied where the record shows that determination was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.

DISCUSSION

Guidehouse asserts that volume IV, SBPP of its FQR was properly and timely submitted, and NGA erred in not evaluating and considering this volume of its revised quotation. In this regard, the protester represents that it sent two emails with the revised volume to the contract specialist at the email address identified in the RFQ on June 20 at approximately 11:00 p.m., the night before the deadline for receipt of revisions. Protest at 6‑7. As noted above, Guidehouse supports this assertion with copies of emails it purportedly sent to the contract specialist and supporting records from Guidehouse’s email server. Protest exh. 5, Email from Guidehouse to NGA, June 20, 2023 (11:03 p.m.); Protest exh. 6, Email form Guidehouse to NGA, June, 2023 (11:06 p.m.); Protest exh. 4, Declaration of Guidehouse IT Security Manager (refencing attached email server records for the outbound email from Guidehouse to the contract specialist). In addition, Guidehouse argues that even if its emails were not delivered to the designated email inboxes, NGA should have considered volume IV of its FQR under the government control exception to the “late is late” rule established in FAR provision 52.212‑1(f)(2)(i)(B). Protest at 7‑8. Guidehouse also contends that NGA’s best‑value determination was unreasonable…

DECISION

Guidehouse Inc. of McLean, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Kearney & Co., P.C. (Kearney) of Alexandria, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. HM0476-23-Q-0004, issued by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for audit management and support services. Guidehouse alleges that NGA unreasonably rejected its quotation when part of its final quotation revision (FQR) was not delivered to the designated agency email inbox. Guidehouse also contends that the agency’s evaluation of quotations and best-value determination were unreasonable.

We deny the protest.

See the decision here.

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