Lockheed Support Systems, Inc.

B-265663.2 Feb 07, 1996 Jump To VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights In which technical merit was more important than price. Higher-priced offer was not worth the substantial price premium associated with its proposal. A detailed statement of work (SOW) was provided. Which is defined to be maintenance normally performed by an operating unit on a day-to-day basis in support of its own operation (e.g. Which is defined as maintenance generally performed at naval aviation industrial establishments to ensure continued flight integrity of airframes and air flight systems. Which is a level of maintenance in between organizational and depot level maintenance. Offerors were informed that the Naval Strike Warfare Center (commonly referred to as the "Strike U" squadron) was located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon and that the Navy Fighter Weapons School (known as the "Top Gun" squadron) and the Fighter Reserve Composite Squadron One Three would be transferred from NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon. View Decision Matter of: Lockheed Support Systems, Inc. File: B-265663.2 Date: February 7, 1996 In a negotiated best value procurement for aircraft maintenance services, in which technical merit was more important than price, the source selection official reasonably considered the technical merit and value underlying the evaluation ratings of the protester's and awardee's proposals, as well as the cost savings in various streamlining proposals of the protester, and determined that the protester's higher-rated, higher-priced offer was not worth the substantial price premium associated with its proposal. Attorneys DECISION Lockheed Support Systems, Inc. protests the award of a contract to McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA) under request for proposals (RFP) No. N68520-95-R-0001, issued by the Department of the Navy for maintenance services for various fighter and strike aircraft in the agency's Naval Tactical Air Warfare program. [1] Lockheed challenges the agency's evaluation of technical proposals and cost/technical tradeoff analysis. We deny the protest. The RFP contemplated the award of a firm, fixed-price contract [2] for organizational and selected intermediate level maintenance services for various fighter and strike aircraft in squadrons located at Fallon, Nevada; Yuma, Arizona; Miramar, California; and Key West, Florida, for 1 base year with 4 option years. A detailed statement of work (SOW) was provided, which included site specific addenda for each squadron to be maintained. The SOW provided that the contracter must comply with the provisions of the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program, as set forth in the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction (OPNAVINST) 4790.2E, which identifies policies, procedures, and responsibilities for the conduct of maintenance throughout naval aviation. The instruction identifies three levels of maintenance services: "organizational" level maintenance, which is defined to be maintenance normally performed by an operating unit on a day-to-day basis in support of its own operation (e.g., flight line maintenance services); "depot" level maintenance, which is defined as maintenance generally performed at naval aviation industrial establishments to ensure continued flight integrity of airframes and air flight systems; and "intermediate" level maintenance, which is a level of maintenance in between organizational and depot level maintenance. The RFP identified the numbers and types of aircraft to be supported at each squadron location, and requested fixed-price monthly rates for organizational and selected intermediate-level maintenance for the aircraft in the squadrons identified in the SOW. In pertinent part, offerors were informed that the Naval Strike Warfare Center (commonly referred to as the "Strike U" squadron) was located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon and that the Navy Fighter Weapons School (known as the "Top Gun" squadron) and the Fighter Reserve Composite Squadron One Three would be transferred from NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon. A total of three squadrons are ultimately to be located at NAS Fallon. [3] The RFP provided that award would be made on a best value basis and stated that technical merit was more important than price in the overall evaluation of proposals. The following technical evaluation factors and subfactors were stated: 1. Program requirements a. Quality/safety b. Maintenance and technical services c. Support functions d. Foreign object damage program e. Tool control f. Personnel g. Maintenance plan 2. Management a. Organizational responsibilities b. Past performance c. Management performance indicators d. Phase-in/phase-out plan e. Availability of resources f. Physical security g. Total quality management h. Contract data requirements Offerors were informed that program requirements and price were of equal weight and that management was of slightly less importance than either of the other two factors.