Encompass Group, LLC

B-411428 Jul 08, 2015 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Encompass LLC, of McDonough, Georgia, a small business, protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA119-15-Q-0110, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for warm-up jackets. Encompass argues that the solicitation fails to include details concerning the estimated number of each type of jacket required. The protester also asserts that the agency failed to conduct adequate market research, and that there are not any vendors that can provide the warm-up jackets in accordance with the RFQ. We deny the protest. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of:      Encompass Group, LLC File:                B-411428 Date:              July 8, 2015 H. K. Tyler Jr., Encompass Group, LLC, for the protester. Bridget E. Grant, Esq., Department of Veterans Affairs, for the agency. Heather Weiner, Esq. and Jonathan L. Kang, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1.  Protest that a solicitation for warm-up jackets failed to include the estimated number of each combination of style, color, and size of jackets in a procurement to establish multiple blanket purchase agreements for the jackets, is denied where the agency provided its best estimate of the total number of jackets required, and the agency did not have historical information or any other reasonable way to estimate the number of jackets it may need in each combination. 2.  Protest that the agency failed to conduct adequate market research for conducting the procurement under the Federal Supply Schedule is denied where the agency reasonably concluded from its market research that quotations would be received from at least three contractors that can fulfill the requirements of the RFQ. DECISION Encompass LLC, of McDonough, Georgia, a small business, protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA119-15-Q-0110, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for warm-up jackets.  Encompass argues that the solicitation fails to include details concerning the estimated number of each type of jacket required.  The protester also asserts that the agency failed to conduct adequate market research, and that there are not any vendors that can provide the warm-up jackets in accordance with the RFQ. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The RFQ for this requirement was originally issued through the General Services Administration’s (GSA) e-Buy system, on June 21, 2014, under a different solicitation number.  Agency Report (AR) at 1.  The RFQ was issued pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 8.4 to vendors holding contracts under VA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) 65 II A, Medical Equipment & Supplies.  The solicitation sought quotations to provide warm-up jackets to be worn by hospital personnel over scrubs.  Specifically, the RFQ provided that vendors be required to provide warm-up jackets that are available in two styles (v-neck and round neck), three colors (jade green, misty green and ceil blue), and in sizes ranging from extra small to five extra large.  AR, Tab 3, Original RFQ, at 6.  The RFQ included 54 contract line item numbers (CLINs) of the different combinations of the required styles, colors, and sizes of the warm-up jackets.[1]  Id. at 11-15. Under the original RFQ, vendors were to be selected for establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) on a lowest-priced, technically-acceptable basis.  Id. at 22.  Although the RFQ included an overall estimate of 11,306 jackets each year, it did not include quantity estimates for each item (combination of style, color, and size).  Id. at 4.  The RFQ stated that the price evaluation was to be based on the unit prices for one of each line item.  Id. at 11-15. In deciding to use the VA FSS for this procurement, the agency reviewed prior VA contract vehicles for this requirement, and issued a request for information which led to the receipt of statements from 22 vendors indicating they could meet the requirements.  AR, Tab 5, Market Research Memo (Apr. 7, 2014), at 1-5.  In addition, the agency hosted a virtual vendor day, and called VA FSS Schedule II contract holders to ensure all required items were on the VA FSS.  Id., 5, 7; AR at 13-14.  Based on the market research, the VA concluded that at least seven vendors appeared able to meet the VA’s requirements, and confirmed that its requirements could be met through the VA FSS by at least three vendors.  AR at 13; Tab 5, Market Research Memo (Apr.