Verizon Federal, Inc., B-293527, January 15, 2004

B-293527 Mar 26, 2004 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Verizon Federal, Inc. protests the United States Marine Corps's award of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to Qwest Government Services, under an unnumbered request for quotations (RFQ) from Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) vendors, for telecommunications technical support services for the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia. We deny the protest. View Decision B-293527, Verizon Federal, Inc., March 26, 2004 Decision Matter of: Verizon Federal, Inc. File: B-293527 Date: March 26, 2004 John G. Horan, Esq., and Jason A. Carey, Esq., McDermott, Will & Emery, for the protester. W. Jay DeVecchio, Esq., Kathleen E. Karelis, Esq., and Edward Jackson, Esq., Miller & Chevalier Chartered, for Qwest Government Services, the intervenor. Edward N. Ramras, Esq., and Julius Rothlein, Esq., U.S. Marine Corps, for the agency. Henry J. Gorczycki, Esq., and David A. Ashen, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Agency reasonably determined that a quotation was unacceptable for failing to include sufficient detail about the qualifications of its proposed staff where, although solicitation required resumes, the quotation did not include resumes for one-third of the staff members, and did not otherwise provide information describing the qualification of the staff members. DECISION Verizon Federal, Inc. protests the United States Marines Corps's award of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to Qwest Government Services, under an unnumbered request for quotations (RFQ) from Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) vendors, for telecommunications technical support services for the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia. We deny the protest. The RFQ, issued to four FSS vendors, contemplated award of a BPA, for a base year with 4 option years, to furnish telecommunications technical support services, including the following task areas to be performed by designated labor categories: (1) updating infrastructure documentation (using a computer aided design (CAD) drafter); (2) supervising and coordinating telecommunications service personnel (telecommunications supervisor); (3) infrastructure engineering (structured wire engineer); (4) building wiring installation (building wiring technician); (5) system maintenance (systems technician); (6) special services (special services technician); (7) fiber optic cable installation and maintenance (fiber technician); (8) telephone and new wiring installation (inside plant technician); (9) outside cable installation and maintenance (outside plant technician); (10) switching equipment maintenance (central office technician); and (11) general systems support (operations technician). Orders to be issued under the BPA will be fixed price or time and materials with a ceiling price. The SOW provided estimated labor hours per year for each of the 11 labor categories (apparently totaling an estimated 15 full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel [1] ), and established minimum education, training, experience and tool requirements for each category. Statement of Work (SOW) at 2-7. The RFQ provided that technical quotations were limited to 25 pages, "exclusive of resumes and other attachments." RFQ at 1. Subsequent to issuance of the RFQ, in an amendment incorporating the agency's responses to questions from vendors, the agency responded to the question "Are resumes to be included in the proposal submission?" as follows: "Yes. This will clearly demonstrate their ability to perform the task." RFQ amend. 2. Award was to be made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 8.4 to the FSS vendor whose quotation represented the best value considering price and technical factors. The RFQ requested vendors to propose discounts from their FSS contract prices and listed, in descending order of importance, two technical factors: (1) management plan and (2) past performance. [2] Regarding the evaluation under the management plan factor, the RFQ provided as follows: The offeror will explain in detail how they will manage their personnel and resources to meet the requirements in the [SOW]. The Management Plan elements will consist of, but are not limited to: Quality Assurance, Staffing, Training, Ability to meet Surge Requirements, and Equipment . . . RFQ at 2. The RFQ further advised vendors as follows: In the event that it can be clearly demonstrated from the existence of adequate competition or accurate prior cost experience with the products or service that acceptance of the most favorable initial quotation(s) without discussion would result in a fair and reasonable price, award may be made upon completion of the initial technical evaluation with no written or oral discussions being conducted.