Protest Denial Decision Released: FBI ITSSS-2

DIGEST

Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of the protester’s quotation is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.

DISCUSSION

CWS challenges the FBI’s determination that the protester’s quotation was ineligible for award.  In advancing this argument, the protester contends the agency’s evaluation of CWS’s LCAT crosswalk was unreasonable because the agency required CWS to map all 264 ITSSS-2 LCATs–as opposed to requiring CWS to attempt to map the LCATs.  Protest at 9-11; Comments at 2-5.  CWS complains that the aspects of the RFQ concerning the LCAT crosswalk are latently ambiguous, and the agency’s interpretation is unreasonable.  The protester asserts that the flawed evaluation of its LCAT crosswalk led the FBI to improperly find CWS’s price template incomplete and the quotation ineligible for award.9  Comments at 2, 6-7.   Although we do not specifically address all of CWS’s arguments, we have fully considered all of them and find that none provides a basis on which to sustain the protest.  We note, at the outset, where an agency issues a solicitation under FAR subpart 8.4 and conducts a competition, we will review the record to ensure that the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.  Technology, Automation & Mgmt., Inc., B‑418063.3, B‑418063.4, Oct. 2, 2020, 2020 CPD ¶ 343 at 6.  In reviewing a protest challenging an agency’s evaluation, our Office will not reevaluate quotations.  Agile‑Bot II, LLC, B‑419350.3, B‑419350.4, June 16, 2021, 2021 CPD ¶ 231 at 5.  Rather, we will examine the record to determine whether the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation and applicable procurement statutes and regulations.  Id. LCAT Crosswalk Evaluation and Alleged Latent Ambiguity CWS contends the agency’s evaluation of its LCAT crosswalk was unreasonable because the FBI required the protester to successfully map all of the 264 ITSSS-2 LCATs when the RFQ required vendors to “attempt to map to all 264 LCATs.”10  Comments at 2 (quoting RFQ at 49).  CWS asserts that “attempt” means “to make an effort to do, accomplish, solve, or effect,” and therefore, the RFQ did not require a vendor to successfully map all of the LCATs.  Id. at 3 (quoting Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attempt.).  According to the protester, the RFQ anticipated that vendors would not be able to map all of the ITSSS-2 LCATs, which is why the LCAT ID crosswalk template permitted a vendor to indicate it did not have a corresponding LCAT on its GSA schedule contract.11  Id.   For these reasons, CWS complains that the RFQ was latently ambiguous with respect to the consequences of electing not to map a given LCAT.  That is, the protester believed its quotation would be eligible for award if it did not map all of the LCATs, while the agency deemed the quotation incomplete and ineligible for award….

DECISION

Computer World Services, Corp. (CWS), of Falls Church, Virginia, challenges the exclusion of its quotation submitted under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 1629665, which was issued by the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to establish a multiple-award blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to provide information technology supplies and support services.  The protester asserts the FBI’s evaluation of its quotation was unreasonable and contrary to the terms of the RFQ.   We deny the protest.

See the decision here.

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