Updated October 4, 2024
ITegrity Inc., of Silver Spring, Maryland, protests the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with AttainX, LLC, of Herndon, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 1305M2-23-Q-NAAA0226, issued by the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) assessment and authorization (A&A) support services. The protester contends that the agency unreasonably and unequally evaluated quotations and performed a flawed best-value tradeoff analysis.
We deny the protest.
The RFQ was issued on September 21, 2023, via the General Services Administration (GSA) eBUY website pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 8.4 to vendors holding contracts under GSA multiple award schedule special item number (SIN) 54151S information technology (IT) professional services and SIN 54151 highly adaptive cybersecurity services. Agency Report (AR), Exh. 2(b)(ii), RFQ, amend. 0001, Terms and Conditions at 2; AR, Exh. 2(b)(iv), RFQ amend. 0001, attach. A, Performance Work Statement (PWS) at ¶¶ 1-2. The agency issued the RFQ to obtain IT services, specifically A&A support services as they relate to FISMA and its objectives. The FISMA objectives generally include tasks relating to the operation, maintenance, testing, and reporting of the security of IT systems. PWS at ¶ 1.
The A&A services included performing prompt, reliable, repeatable, and high-quality annual security assessments of all National Weather Service (NWS) systems to support NWS’s risk management framework. PWS at ¶ 2. While ITegrity is the incumbent contractor, the current RFQ requirements expand the scope of the incumbent A&A contract by also requiring A&A services for systems other than NOAA’s NWS systems….
… Here, as already discussed, the differences in the overall confidence ratings resulted from the relevance of the references submitted, which was based primarily on the size, scope, and complexity of the references. As noted above, the protester submitted only one very relevant reference for itself, no relevant references for one of its subcontractors and a somewhat relevant reference for its other subcontractor, whereas AttainX’s proposal included three very relevant references. In any event, the protester does not address the agency’s argument that its evaluation in fact acknowledged AttainX’s negative performance feedback and has provided us with no evidence that the agency did not consider the performance ratings of both vendors with equal scrutiny. Moreover, the record shows that the agency expressly noted the negative past performance feedback that Attainx received in its evaluation. See AR, Exh. 5, TET Report at 112-113 (stating that “[t]he [g]overnment encountered minor problems with providing quality planning, control, and delivery of technical tasks within the PWS [and as a result the vendor] . . . rectified issues by hiring additional staff.”). As a result, this protest ground is denied.[2]
The protest is denied.
Added September 27, 2024
Protester: ITegrity Inc.
Solicitation Number: 1305M2-23-Q-NAAA0226
Agency: Department of Commerce : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
File number: B-422694.1
Outcome: Denied
Decision Date: Sep 26, 2024
Track Related GAO Activity Here
Related
AttainX beats out 21 to win $48M NOAA NWS Systems RMF Assessments BPA
Not Yet a Premium Partner/Sponsor? Learn more about the OS AI Premium Corporate and Individual Plans here. Plans start at $250 annually.