B-311074, ManTech International Corporation, April 15, 2008

B-311074 Apr 15, 2008 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights ManTech International Corporation protests the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) award of a contract to Analex Corporation, under request for proposals (RFP) No. NNG06160944R, for Environmental Test and Integration Services (ETIS) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. ManTech challenges the evaluation of proposals. We deny the protest. View Decision B-311074, ManTech International Corporation, April 15, 2008 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: ManTech International Corporation File: B-311074 Date: April 15, 2008 Paul F. Khoury, Esq., William J. Grimaldi, Esq., John R.Prairie, Esq., and Brian G. Walsh, Esq., Wiley Rein, for the protester. Anne Perry, Esq., Jonathan Aronie, Esq., and Daniel Marcinak, Esq., Sheppard Mullin, for Analex Corporation, the intervenor. Vincent A. Salgado, Esq., Daniel Hymer, Esq., and Laura M. Giza, Esq., National Aeronautics & Space Administration, 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 Protest by incumbent contractor that evaluation of offerors' proposed approaches to phase'in at start of contract failed to account for incumbency advantage is denied where agency recognized that incumbent protester's policies and incentives, reflected in 95 percent employee retention rate, had a high probability of maintaining incumbent workforce, thereby significantly reducing transition risk and warranting a significant strength, and also reasonably determined that awardee offered an exceptional strategy, with many incentives for incumbent employee retention, in support of plan to recruit [REDACTED] percent of incumbent workforce, thereby also warranting a significant strength. DECISION ManTech International Corporation protests the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) award of a contract to Analex Corporation, under request for proposals (RFP) No. NNG06160944R, for Environmental Test and Integration Services (ETIS) at GoddardSpaceFlightCenter (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. ManTech challenges the evaluation of proposals. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND GSFC functions as an end-to-end research and development laboratory for the development and operation of scientific instruments, spacecraft, space shuttle payloads, sounding rockets, balloons, satellite servicing, and supporting ground systems. RFP Statement of Work (SOW) sect. I. The solicitation contemplated award of a cost-plus-award-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with a 5-year ordering period, to furnish environmental test and integration services, including structural dynamics testing; electromagnetic testing; space simulation testing; optical fabrication, assembly and testing; mechanical integration of space flight components into spacecraft; thermal blankets; and facility maintenance. Award was to be made to the offeror whose proposal represented the –best value— to the government, RFP sect. M.2; Federal Acquisition Regulation sect. 15.303(b)(6), based on three evaluation factors: (1) a numerically-scored mission suitability factor, which included subfactors for response to a representative task order (RTO)/understanding the requirements of the SOW (500 of 1,000 available points), management plan (300 points), safety and health plan (150 points), and small disadvantaged business participation (50 points); (2) cost; and (3) past performance. Overall, mission suitability was more important than cost, which was more important than past performance; cost was significantly less important than mission suitability and past performance combined. RFP sect. M.2. The solicitation RTO response requirement was of particular importance in the evaluation. In this regard, the solicitation as amended required offerors to furnish a written task plan responding to generic sample problems organized into 14 subtasks to be performed over a 6-month period; the response to the RTO was to –serve as a basis for the evaluation of how the offeror will carry out the tasks associated with the SOW,— with the offeror being evaluated on –how it will implement and staff the RTO.— RFP, Amend. 005, sect. M.3.