Protest Denial Decision Posted: NOAA NMFS OCIO Web Modernization and Maintenance Services

Updated June 23, 2025

DIGEST – 1. Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of quotations is denied where the evaluation was reasonable, even-handed, and consistent with the stated evaluation criteria. 2. Protest contending the agency’s failure, as part of its corrective action, to engage in exchanges with the protester constituted unequal discussions is denied where the agency’s conduct was consistent with the terms of the solicitation and the protester cannot demonstrate competitive prejudice.

DECISION – Mobomo LLC, a small business of Gaithersburg, Maryland, protests the issuance of an order to ResolveSoft Inc., a small business of Elkridge, Maryland, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 1305M324Q0367, issued by the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for web modernization and maintenance services. The protester challenges the agency’s evaluation of quotations and conduct of exchanges.

We deny the protest.

Updated June 17, 2025

The most recent protest has been denied. See details below.

Updated March, 17, 2025

A fresh protest (see details below) forces NOAA to extend NMFS OCIO Web Modernization and Maintenance Services contract.

NOAA announced their plans to extend the period of performance of existing Task Order: 1305L220FNFFK0331, awarded to Mobomo under GSA MAS Contract: GS-35F-143BA.

This action will provide for continuation of web modernization and maintenance support services. These services enable NMFS OCIO to maintain and enhance NMFS’ flagship website, fisheries.noaa.gov, in keeping with NMFS OCIO’s commitment to providing accessible, user­ centric, and up-to-date information and services to the public.

The scope of services includes project management, development and maintenance, requirements validation, testing, documentation review and reporting, performance auditing and monitoring, user experience, usability, design and content support, and hosting and security.

The order will initially be extended 6 months but may be extended up to an additional 6 months for a total of 12 months. The current order expires on March 14, 2025 and a short-term extension is needed to sustain operations until an ongoing protest is resolved and the contract awardee can complete transition activities to commence full performance. The reprocurement has been delayed due to a protest of the initial award decision, completion of corrective action, and a subsequent protest of the corrective action award decision.

Mobomo is currently providing the aforementioned support services. A short-term extension of these services is necessary due to delays associated with a protest.

The new contract was awarded on September 19, 2024 and the notice of unsuccessful awardee was issued on September 23, 2024. A subsequent protest of the award decision was filed with the U.S. GAO on October 3, 2024. As a result, WAD issued a notification of protest and stop work order to the awardee on October 4, 2024. Services under the current task order had already been extended six months in accordance with FAR Clause 52.217-8 to allow for sufficient transition time under the new contract for NOAA security screening and for NMFS OCIO to coordinate with the new contractor for an ongoing Jira transition. The extension also provided continuation of services while the protest was being resolved. WAD ultimately determined that corrective action was appropriate and a notice of corrective action and request for dismissal was submitted to the U.S. GAO on October 10, 2024. U.S. GAO dismissed the protest on October 15, 2024. The corrective action award decision was issued on February 25, 2025 and the subsequent notice of unsuccessful awardee and brief explanation of the basis of award was issued on February 26, 2025. A U.S. GAO protest of the corrective action award decision was filed on March 10, 2025. This action will provide WAD sufficient time to ensure continuity of services for completion of transition activities and to resolve the protest of the corrective action award decision.

Mobomo, as the incumbent contractor, possesses the immediate resources, knowledge, and infrastructure to ensure complete continuity of services.