Alion Science & Technology Corporation, B-294159; B-294159.2, September 10, 2004

Alion Science & Technology Corporation, B-294159; B-294159.2, September 10, 2004 TITLE: Alion Science & Technology Corporation, B-294159; B-294159.2, September 10, 2004 BNUMBER: B-294159; B-294159.2 DATE: September 10, 2004 ********************************************************************** Decision Matter of: Alion Science & Technology Corporation File: B-294159; B-294159.2 Date: September 10, 2004 L. James D*Agostino, Esq., Richard L. Moorhouse, Esq., David T. Hickey, Esq., and Natalia W. Geren, Esq., Greenberg Traurig, for the protester. Scott M. McCaleb, Esq., Kevin J. Maynard, Esq., and Derek A. Yeo, Esq., Wiley Rein & Fielding, for Anteon Corporation, an intervenor. Lee W. Crook, III, Esq., and Erica V. Stigall, Esq., General Services Administration, for the agency. Paul N. Wengert, Esq., and Michael R. Golden, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest is sustained where solicitation indicated that agency desired quotations not only for eight enumerated positions, but also for unspecified additional support and where vendors provided technical and price quotations for widely varying levels of additional support; contracting officer had apparently intended additional support to be addressed in technical, not price, section of quotations. Record indicates that solicitation may not accurately reflect agency*s needs and its lack of clarity resulted in uncertainty about the total cost of each vendor*s approach. DECISION Alion Science & Technology Corporation protests the issuance of a task order to Anteon Corporation by the General Services Administration (GSA) under request for quotations (RFQ) No. PPM5740005T6 for the United States Army stability and support operations training program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Alion argues that the contracting officer*s evaluation of vendors* quotations was inconsistent with the terms of the RFQ, and that Alion*s quotation represented the best value. Alternatively, Alion argues that the RFQ did not accurately state the Army*s staffing needs. We sustain the protest. The RFQ sought quotations from ten named vendors[2] holding GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts on the Management, Organizational and Business Improvement Services (MOBIS) schedule, also known as *Schedule 874.* RFQ amend. 2. GSA anticipated issuing a single time-and-materials task order to the successful vendor for a 1-year base period and three 1-year option periods, for a total of 4 years. The requirements for each of the eight Balkans Support Team personnel were set forth in eight separate subsections of the RFQ SS 6.1.1 through 6.1.8, respectively. Immediately after the description of the eight Balkans Support Team personnel, the RFQ described *additional personnel* as follows: 6.1.9 Additional personnel: In addition to the eight in-house full time contracted employees, the contractor will provide personnel necessary to support each unit*s training events at the exercise location (to be determined). One of these will be the Joint Military Affairs SME [subject matter expert] brought on-board by the contractor for specific events only. The Government will typically provide 30 days notice of increase or decrease in personnel numbers and qualifications; however, some staff modifications, in response to rapidly evolving requirements, may necessitate resolution of short-term and permanent staffing issues in as little as 48 to 96 hours. 6.1.10 The contractor shall provide a project manager who shall be accessible to the Government during normal working hours and [on] an extended work schedule basis during training execution. . . . 6.1.10.1 In addition to the in-house contractors and if so required, the contractor shall be responsible for overall management and coordination of matters pertaining to contract requirements. Conduct individual analysis and participate in or lead group projects on specific issues associated with SFOR/KFOR [Stabilization Force/Kosovo] and other SOSO [stability and support operations] mission training plan development, training oversight, certification, and deployments; or other taskings. Conduct an advanced distributed learning technology assessment of sites. Provide back up and support to other staff activities in support of SFOR/KFOR or other SOSO missions. RFQ SS 6.1.9 to 6.1.10.1. In other sections, the RFQ also referred to additional personnel (of which a few examples are quoted here): .A A A A A A A The contractor shall provide JMA [Joint Military Affairs] SME to accompany selected members of the MNB [multinational brigade] JMA on one or more reconnaissance trips. RFQ S 8.8.2. .A A A A A A A The contractor shall provide the JMA SMEs to train the MNB JMA during selected IDTs [inactive duty for training] on the functional areas listed below. RFQ SA 8.8.3.3.