J W Holding Group & Associates, Inc., B-285882.3; B-285882.6, July 2, 2001

J W Holding Group & Associates, Inc., B-285882.3; B-285882.6, July 2, 2001 TITLE: J W Holding Group & Associates, Inc., B-285882.3; B-285882.6, July 2, 2001 BNUMBER: B-285882.3; B-285882.6 DATE: July 2, 2001 ********************************************************************** J W Holding Group & Associates, Inc., B-285882.3; B-285882.6, July 2, 2001 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. Decision Matter of: J W Holding Group & Associates, Inc. File: B-285882.3; B-285882.6 Date: July 2, 2001 Daniel Koch, Esq., Paley, Rothman, Goldstein, Rosenberg & Cooper, for the protester. Mathew S. Perlman, Esq., Richard J. Webber, Esq., and Natalie S. Walters, Esq., Arent Fox, for Sodexho Marriott Management, an intervenor. Julius Rothlein, Esq., Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, for the agency. David A. Ashen, Esq., and John M. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Regulation requiring source selection authority (SSA) to exercise *independent judgment* does not preclude SSA from acting as head of the price evaluation team. DECISION J.W. Holding Group & Associates, Inc. (JWH) protests the U.S. Marine Corps's (USMC) award of a contract to Sodexho Marriott Management (SMM) under request for proposals (RFP) No. M00027‑00‑R‑0002, for regional garrison food service on the West Coast. The protester challenges the conduct of the evaluation. We deny the protest. The RFP provided for award of a primarily fixed-price incentive contract for a base period of 5 years, with 3 option years, to provide regional garrison food service at 23 messhalls on the West Coast. Award was to be made on a best-value basis, with proposals to be evaluated under four criteria: price, integrated organization and management, small business subcontracting plan, and past performance. Price was the most important criterion and was equal in importance to the other criteria combined. Four offerors submitted proposals. SMM's, JWH's and a third offeror's (Eurest Support Services (ESS)) proposals were included in the competitive range. After conducting written and oral discussions, USMC requested final proposal revisions (FPR). The FPR evaluation results were as follows: +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | |JWH |ESS |SMM | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Meal Service (Fixed Price Incentive) | | | | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| | Target Cost per Meal |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| | Target Price per Meal | | | | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| | Total Target Price |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| | Share Ratio (USMC/ |[DELETED] |[DELETED] |[DELETED] | | Contractor) | | | | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| | Ceiling Price Per Meal |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Meals per Labor Hour |[DELETED] |[DELETED] |[DELETED] | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Hour Maintenance (Fixed Price) |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Time & Materials (T&M) |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Total Price (Target Price+ |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |Maintenance+T&M) | | | | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Total Price (Ceiling Price+ |$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]|$[DELETED]| |Maintenance+T&M) | | | | |---------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------| |Risk | | | | | Proposal |Moderate |Low |Low | | Performance |Moderate |Moderate |Low | |---------------------------------------+----------+-...