Singhal & Company, Inc.

B-412787 May 31, 2016 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Singhal & Company, Inc. (SCi), of Reston, Virginia, protests the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) rejection of its quotation as unacceptable under request for quotations (RFQ) No. RFQ-HPOD-OA-2015 for comprehensive infrastructure support services. SCi asserts that the agency deemed its quotation ineligible for award based on a flawed price evaluation of its "open market items." We deny the protest. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of:  Singhal & Company, Inc. File:  B-412787 Date:  May 31, 2016 Kanan Thaker, Esq., for the protester. Kara M. Sacilotto, Esq., and Gary S. Ward, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP, for Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., an intervenor. Sara E. McGraw, Esq., and Kenneth Pakula, Esq., Environmental Protection Agency, for the agency. Peter D. Verchinski, Esq., and Noah B. Bleicher, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of the protester’s price quotation is denied where agency’s evaluation was consistent with the terms of the request for quotations. DECISION Singhal & Company, Inc. (SCi), of Reston, Virginia, protests the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rejection of its quotation as unacceptable under request for quotations (RFQ) No. RFQ-HPOD-OA-2015 for comprehensive infrastructure support services.  SCi asserts that the agency deemed its quotation ineligible for award based on a flawed price evaluation of its “open market items.” We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The RFQ, issued on November 6, 2015, was limited to holders of General Service Administration’s (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts pursuant to the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 8.4.  The solicitation sought to obtain a variety of real property asset management services, including facilities management; safety, health and environmental management; security management; and general support.  RFQ rev. 4, at 1.  In performing these services, the agency expected vendors to rely on services available on the following schedules:  FSS 84 (“Total Solutions for Law Enforcement, Security, Facilities Management, Fire, Rescue, Clothing, Marine Craft and Emergency/Disaster Response”); FSS 899 (“Environmental Services”); FSS 70 (“General Purpose Commercial Information Technology Equipment, Software, and Services”); and FSS 871 (“Professional Engineering Services).  Id. at 1‑2. The RFQ anticipated the establishment of up to seven blanket purchase agreements (BPA) for a 7‑year period, under which fixed-price orders would be placed in accordance with FAR § 8.405-3.[1]  Id.  The RFQ contemplated selecting vendors for the BPAs on a best‑value basis considering the following three evaluation factors:  technical capability and technical approach; corporate experience and management approach; and price.  Id. at 5.  Vendors were to submit their quotations in two parts:  technical and price.  Id. at 7. With regard to the price quotation, the RFQ instructed vendors to provide the quotation in several sections.  For example, section 1 was to consist of pricing data from the vendor’s GSA schedule contracts with any proposed discounts.  Id. at 20.  Section 2 was to consist of an explanation for any other direct costs (ODC), including the estimating methodologies used.  Id.  Section 3 was to consist of a copy of all GSA schedule pricelists for the proposed labor rates and ODCs.  Id. Of relevance here, for quotation preparation purposes, the RFQ provided the following estimates for labor hours, travel costs, and ODCs: GSA Schedule Estimated Hours Estimated Travel Estimated ODCs Schedule 899 319,795 $1,268,421.06 $779,060.38 Schedule 871 271,355 $603,641.05 $299,798.28 Schedule 84 773,500 $230,000.00 $217,000.00 Schedule 70 615,517 $350,000.00 $2,856,000.00 Totals 1,980,167 $2,452,062.11 $4,151,858.66 Id. at 20.  The RFQ advised vendors that all “proposed costs, other than open market items with an aggregate value over the entire BPA that is less than $3,500.00, shall be quoted from a Schedule pricelist(s) only.”  Id. (emphasis in original).  The RFQ instructed vendors to provide (in section 1 of price quotations) a table outlining the vendor’s proposed ODCs, including the ODC item, the price for the item in each of the 7 years, the applicable schedule for the item, and the special item number (SIN) for the item.  Id.