Decision released in protest denial of State Department staffing support services IDIQ

DIGEST

Protest challenging the agency’s price realism analysis is denied where the agency evaluated the realism of proposed prices in accordance with the terms of the solicitation; the agency was not required to conduct an in-depth analysis of the awardees’ prices in the manner argued by the protester.

DISCUSSION

APRA challenges the agency’s price realism evaluation of both DGI’s and Maven’s proposals.  Protest at 6-8; Comments at 2-5.  In this regard, the protester asserts that the realism analysis undertaken by the agency was fundamentally flawed, with the two principal techniques used by the agency–relying on the evaluation results under the other evaluation factors, and on comparisons to the IGCE–were “not up to the task.”  Comments at 5.  APRA also asserts that the agency did not meaningfully consider that DGI’s and Maven’s total pricing each reflected a lack of understanding of the RFP requirements.  In this regard, APRA asserts DGI’s and Maven’s total prices were significantly lower than the prices proposed by APRA (which APRA states were based on its incumbent contract), much lower than the prices proposed by HTGS, and much lower than the IGCE.  For the reasons discussed below, we find none of the protester’s arguments provide a basis to sustain the protest.

DECISION

A. Prentice Ray & Associates, LLC (APRA), an 8(a)1 certified, woman-owned small business located in Washington, District of Columbia, protests the corrective action undertaken by the Department of State (DOS) in response to APRA’s earlier protest (B-421248.3) challenging the award of indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts2 under request for proposals (RFP) No. 19AQMM22R0221, for staffing support services. APRA challenges the agency’s price realism evaluation of DGI’s and Maven’s proposals.

We deny the protest.

See the decision here.

🔊 Listen to Story