Protest Denial Decision Released for DISA Digital Capabilities and Security Center acquisition and program support requirement

Updated March 13, 2024

Digest

1. Protest challenging the evaluation of quotations is denied where the record shows that the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation’s stated evaluation criteria.
2. In conducting best-value tradeoff, agency properly considered bases for underlying evaluation ratings, and not just the ratings themselves.
3. Agency did not treat protester disparately in best-value tradeoff where bases for finding favorable aspects of awardee’s quotation were not included in protester’s quotation.

Discussion

FMS challenges the evaluation of its quotation under each of the technical/management approach subfactors. FMS also challenges the best-value tradeoff as unreasonable and reflecting disparate treatment.[4] Id. We have considered all the protest issues and arguments raised by FMS, and although we do not address them all, we find no basis on which to sustain the protest.

FMS asserts that the evaluation of its quotation under the three subfactors of the technical/management approach factor was unreasonable. The protester specifically argues that the agency failed to assess its quotation multiple strengths under each of the subfactors.

Where, as here, an agency issues an RFQ to vendors under FAR subpart 8.4 and conducts a competition for the issuance of an order, we will review the record to ensure that the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation and applicable procurement laws and regulations. See DataSavers of Jacksonville, Inc., B-415113.3, Aug. 24, 2018, 2018 CPD ¶ 290 at 4; Harmonia Holdings Grp, LLC, B-414691, B-414691.2, Aug. 17, 2017, 2017 CPD ¶ 272 at 4. When a protester argues that its quotation should have been assessed additional strengths, we generally will not disturb the agency’s exercise of its discretion with respect to whether a feature of a vendor’s quotation so exceeds the solicitation’s requirements as to warrant the assignment of a strength, absent evidence that an agency’s evaluation was unreasonable or …

Decision

Federal Management Systems, Inc. (FMS), a small business located in Washington, D.C., protests the issuance of a task order to Peridot Solutions, LLC, a small business located in McLean, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 612366359, issued by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Defense Information Technology Contracting Office, for acquisition, contract management, and program support and portfolio management for DISA’s digital capabilities and security center. FMS argues that the agency unreasonably evaluated quotations, failed to conduct a reasonable best-value tradeoff, and treated vendors disparately in making the source selection decision. We deny the protest.

Read the decision here.

Updated March 7, 2024

Protestor Federal Management Systems, Inc.
Solicitation Number RFQ-612366359
Agency Department of Defense: Defense Information Systems Agency
File number B-422222.1
Outcome: Denied
Decision Date: Mar 6, 2024

See the notice here.

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