PRB Associates, Inc., B-277994; B-277994.2, December 18, 1997

PRB Associates, Inc., B-277994; B-277994.2, December 18, 1997 BNUMBER: B-277994; B-277994.2 DATE: December 18, 1997 TITLE: PRB Associates, Inc., B-277994; B-277994.2, December 18, 1997 ********************************************************************** DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release. Matter of:PRB Associates, Inc. File: B-277994; B-277994.2 Date:December 18, 1997 Pamela G. Sosne, Esq., David R. Johnson, Esq., and Kathleen C. Little, Esq., McDermott, Will & Emery, for the protester. Karen C. Coe, Esq., and Robert A. Klimek, Jr., Esq., Klimek, Kolodney & Casale, P.C., for AMEWAS, Inc., an intervenor. Daniel A. Laguaite, Esq., Department of the Navy, for the agency. Tania L. Calhoun, Esq., and Christine S. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest alleging that contracting agency unreasonably evaluated protester's proposal in identifying certain weaknesses is denied where the record shows the evaluation was reasonable and in accordance with the stated evaluation criteria; since these weaknesses did not prevent protester from having a reasonable chance for award, contracting agency's failure to point them out did not deprive the protester of meaningful discussions. 2. Regulatory requirement that contracting agencies recognize the integrity and validity of contractor teaming arrangements does not require these agencies to resolve disputes arising from allegations that a party has breached a teaming agreement; such disputes are properly resolved between the private parties. 3. Protest that contracting agency's management personnel exercised undue influence on the evaluation board and contracting officer to effect award to a particular firm is denied where the record shows that, even if these personnel did prefer that award be made to the eventual awardee, there is no evidence that preference translated into action which unfairly affected protester's competitive position. 4. Protest alleging that contracting agency engaged in technical leveling, technical transfusion, and unequal discussions with the awardee is denied where the record does not support the allegation. DECISION PRB Associates, Inc. protests the award of a contract to AMEWAS, Inc. under request for proposals (RFP) No. N00421-95-R-5022, issued by the Department of the Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) to obtain simulation and stimulation development and operations engineering and technical support services. PRB alleges various improprieties with respect to the Navy's evaluation of proposals, conduct of discussions, actions regarding one of PRB's proposed subcontractors, and best value determination. We deny the protests. BACKGROUND NAWCAD's Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF) exposes aircraft under test to an electronic simulation of air combat situations. According to the RFP, aircraft systems are deceived through a combination of simulations by digital computers and through stimulation by computer-controlled environment generators that provide radio frequency, electro-optical, and laser stimuli which duplicate, as closely as possible, real signals. The flight crew is provided very high fidelity visual, aural, and motion sensory cueing, as well as realistic workload conditions, to simulate the total environment an aircraft/aircrew would experience during combat. ACETEF consists of seven integrated component laboratories, each of which contributes specific functions to support the prescribed combat scenario. The laboratories relevant to these protests are the Operations and Control Center (OCC) and the Offensive Sensors Laboratory (OSL). The OCC facility provides scenario control of all other ACETEF laboratories, using "man-in-the-loop" and computer-controlled simulation as played out by the Simulated Warfare Environment Generator (SWEG). The OCC facility's functional areas include the ACETEF/range command and control center, the center of all ACETEF testing; two command and control centers; and a systems analysis center. OSL's mission is to provide developmental test and evaluation of aircraft offensive sensors by means of stimulated complex combat scenarios in which aircraft sensors are realistically stimulated with actual electro-optical and radar signals. This solicitation, issued June 14, 1996, contemplated the award of a 4-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. Award was to be made to the firm whose proposal was the best value to the government, considering technical factors and cost.