United Coatings, B-291978.2, July 7, 2003

B-291978.2 Jul 07, 2003 Jump To VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Protest that agency unreasonably evaluated the protester's and awardee's quotes under a solicitation for tank preservation services is denied where the record shows that the agency's evaluation of the quotes was reasonable and consistent with the stated evaluation criteria. Is denied where the agency reasonably assessed the attendant risk. 3. Additional payments made to the awardee under an interim purchase order is denied where the record fails to show that the protester was competitively prejudiced. Kennedy. /1/ UCC argues that the agency's evaluation of vendors' quotes was improper. The tank preservation work was to be performed while the USS John F. Kennedy was pier-side. Organization's ability to apply high solids edge retentive . coating while the ship is waterborne. . 5. View Decision United Coatings, B-291978.2, July 7, 2003 * REDACTED DECISION DIGEST Attorneys DECISION United Coatings (UCC) protests the issuance of a purchase order to W-Mann Services (USA) LLC, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 1435-04-03-PR-71323, issued by the Minerals Management Service (MMS), Department of the Interior, for preservation work of various fuel oil service tanks aboard the Navy aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy. /1/ UCC argues that the agency's evaluation of vendors' quotes was improper. We deny the protest. The RFQ, /2/ initially issued on December 27, 2002, required the successful vendor by means of ultra high pressure (UHP) water jetting to remove the existing coating, and apply a new solid edge retentive coating, to an estimated 54,822 square feet of fuel oil service tanks. The tank preservation work was to be performed while the USS John F. Kennedy was pier-side, but still waterborne, at the Naval Air Station, Mayport, Florida. The original solicitation also informed vendors that work must commence no later than February 3, 2003, in order to ensure completion by July 31. The RFQ contemplated the issuance of a fixed price purchase order. Tr. at 20. However, the original solicitation also stated that "the contractor shall be reimbursed for actual allowable, allocable, and reasonable travel costs incurred during performance under this [contract] in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations currently in effect[] on the date of travel. All travel under this contract shall bear no fee, and must be pre-approved." RFQ at 16. The solicitation identified the following evaluation factors and subfactors: A. Technical Approach . 1. Understanding the work. . 2. Specific methods and techniques for completing each discrete . task. . 3. Anticipation of potential problem areas, and creativity and . feasibility of solutions to problems. . 4. Logistics, schedule, and any other issues the government . should be aware of. . 5. Ability to meet performance and other scheduled dates. B. Past Performance . 1. Organization's history of successful completion of projects. . 2. Quality of cooperation (with each other) of key individuals . within the organization and quality of cooperation between the . organization, its subcontractors, and clients. . 3. Organization's specific proof of past performance to include . evidence of the ability to perform UHP water jetting. . 4. Organization's ability to apply high solids edge retentive . coating while the ship is waterborne. . 5. Organization's ability to remove and install tank coatings in . a period as short as 14 days. . 6. Degree of comparability of past projects to the current . project, including number of projects, complexity, and dollar . amount. C. Key Personnel Qualifications . 1. Currency, quality, and depth of experience of individual . personnel in working on similar projects. . 2. Quality and depth of education; experience on other projects . which may not be similar to this specific [RFQ], but may be . relevant; and publication history. . 3. At least one [National Association of Corrosion Engineers] . International Certified Coating Inspector or [Naval Sea Systems . Command] NAVSEA equivalent on staff. . 4. Appropriate mix and balance of education and training of team . members. D. Organizational Experience . 1. Degree of comparability of past projects to the current project, . including number of projects, complexity, and dollar amounts. . 2. Appropriate mix and balance of education and training of team . members. E. Price The solicitation established that the non-price factors were of equal importance and that, within each factor, the subfactors were of equal importance. The RFQ also stated that price was less important than nonprice factors. Award of the purchase order was to be made, without discussions, to the responsible vendor whose quote conformed to the solicitation and provided the overall "best value" to the agency, based on consideration of all factors.