B-299456, Lockmasters Security Institute, Inc., May 21, 2007

B-299456 May 21, 2007 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Lockmasters Security Institute, Inc. (LSI) protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. HSCG23-07-Q-PTC006, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, for technical support services for the agency's Office of Security Policy and Management. The protester argues that the agency's decision to obtain these services under Schedule 84 of the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS)--as opposed to procuring them under Schedule 69, which was used to procure these services previously--was improper, and further argues that the solicitation is restrictive of competition because the decision to procure under Schedule 84 precludes LSI from competing for the work. We deny the protest. View Decision B-299456, Lockmasters Security Institute, Inc., May 21, 2007 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: Lockmasters Security Institute, Inc. File: B-299456 Date: May 21, 2007 Kevin P. Connelly, Esq., and Amanda B. Weiner, Esq., Seyfarth Shaw LLP, for the protester. Wilburt Jones, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, for the agency. Jonathan L. Kang, Esq., and Ralph O. White, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Challenge to agency's limitation of competition under a request for quotations (RFQ) to vendors who held a particular General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract is denied where agency had a reasonable basis for its decision to seek quotations under that schedule. 2. Agency does not unreasonably limit competition where it issues an RFQ under a different GSA FSS contract than the schedule under which the incumbent contractor had been providing the agency's requirements. DECISION Lockmasters Security Institute, Inc. (LSI) protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. HSCG23-07-Q-PTC006, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, for technical support services for the agency's Office of Security Policy and Management. The protester argues that the agency's decision to obtain these services under Schedule 84 of the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS)--as opposed to procuring them under Schedule 69, which was used to procure these services previously--was improper, and further argues that the solicitation is restrictive of competition because the decision to procure under Schedule 84 precludes LSI from competing for the work. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The RFQ here seeks quotations to provide training and technical support for the Coast Guard's Office of Security Policy and Management. The contractor will be required to provide a 5-day training course for newly-appointed Command Security Officers (CSO) using Coast Guard-developed course curriculums in Personal Security, Physical Security, Operations Security (OPSEC), the Coast Guard's Antiterrorism Program, Information Security, and Security Awareness and Training. RFQ, Statement of Work (SOW), para. 1.1. The contractor provides six such courses per year for 20 students per course, develops the course schedule, and administers a Coast-Guard developed questionnaire. Id.The RFQ anticipates award of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with a 1-year base term, and four 1-year options. The agency had previously obtained its requirements for the training courses under a BPA issued to LSI in 2001. The BPA was issued under Schedule 69, –Training Aids & Devices, Instructor-Led Training; Course Development; Test Administration,— special item number (SIN) 27-400 for –Instructor Led Training to Include General Education, Computer, Vocational/Trade, Health/Safety, and Business,— and SIN 27-500 for –Course Development and Test Administration.— LSI's BPA to provide these courses expired on September 26, 2006. Contracting Officer's (CO) Statement at 4. The current RFQ limits competition to vendors who hold contracts under Schedule 84, –Total Solutions for Law Enforcement, Security, Facilities Management, Fire, Rescue, Clothing, Marine Craft and Emergency/Disaster Response,— SIN 246-52 for –Professional Security/Facility Management Services - Including Security Consulting, Training and Facility Management Consulting.— RFQ at 1. Prior to issuing the RFQ, the agency determined that Schedule 84 would provide vendors with –skill sets that would be a better match for the requirements than those vendors under Schedule 69, and whose knowledge of the security field would be greater.— CO's Statement at 2. The agency issued the RFQ through letters to four vendors, rather than posting the RFQ to the GSA electronic RFQ system, e-Buy. CO's Statement at 4.