Decision Released: TRANSCOM Accounting and Financial Operations Support Services protest denial

File NO. B-422469, B-422469.2

Digest

1. Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of quotations under technical capability factor is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation’s evaluation criteria.
2. Protest challenging agency’s estimated labor hour allocations used in price evaluation is denied where the agency’s basis for the labor hour estimates was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation’s evaluation scheme.
3. Protest alleging that agency improperly conducted discussions with only awardee is denied where, even if the exchange constituted discussions, the protester has not shown that it was competitively prejudiced by the agency’s action.
4. Protest challenging agency’s comparative analysis and source selection decision is denied where the agency’s best value tradeoff and source selection decision was reasonable, adequately documented, and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.

Discussion

Ernst & Young challenges the agency’s evaluation of its quotation under the technical capability factor, the agency’s price evaluation, the agency’s conduct of discussions, and the agency’s best value tradeoff and award decision. In addition, the protester raises several collateral arguments. While our decision does not specifically address every argument, we have reviewed each argument and conclude that none provide a basis to sustain the protest.

Ernst & Young challenges the evaluation of its quotation under the technical capability factor. Specifically, the protester contends that the agency unreasonably failed to assess strengths for 17 allegedly advantageous aspects of its technical quotation. Protest at 1022; Comments & Supp. Protest at 319. The agency responds that its evaluation of Ernst & Young’s technical quotation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. Memorandum of Law (MOL) at 1245. In this regard, the agency generally argues that its evaluation team reasonably considered these quotation aspects to meet, but not exceed, the PWS requirements …

Decision

Ernst & Young, LLP, of New York, New York, protests the award of a contract to KPMG LLC, of McLean, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. HTC71123QD003, issued by the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) for accounting and financial operations support services. The protester challenges the agency’s evaluation of quotations, conduct of discussions, and resulting best-value tradeoff and award decision.

We deny the protest.

Read the decision here.

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