Horizon Strategies, LLC

B-415415 Dec 21, 2017 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Horizon Strategies, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business of Winston Salem, North Carolina, protests the award of a contract to University of Virginia (UVA) under request for proposals (RFP) No. SP4703-17-R-0003, issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), to provide strategic thinking course instruction. The protester contends that the agency misevaluated its proposal and unreasonably concluded that it failed to satisfy the RFP requirements. We deny the protest. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of:  Horizon Strategies File:  B-415415 Date:  December 21, 2017 William T. Harmon, for the protester. Diane Nelms, Esq., and Ashley Kelly, Esq., Defense Logistics Agency, for the agency. Charmaine A. Stevenson, Esq., and Laura Eyester, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest challenging the agency’s determination that the protester’s proposal was unacceptable is denied where the agency reasonably determined that the protester’s proposal did not satisfy the solicitation’s requirements. DECISION Horizon Strategies, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business of Winston Salem, North Carolina, protests the award of a contract to University of Virginia (UVA) under request for proposals (RFP) No. SP4703-17-R-0003, issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), to provide strategic thinking course instruction.  The protester contends that the agency misevaluated its proposal and unreasonably concluded that it failed to satisfy the RFP requirements. We deny the protest.[1] BACKGROUND The RFP, issued on an unrestricted basis on April 20, 2017, contemplated award of multiple fixed-price contracts to seven different vendors for course instruction to support the Defense Contract Audit Agency’s (DCAA) Director’s Development Program in Leadership, for a 1-year base period and two 1-year options, using Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items.  Agency Report (AR), Tab 3, RFP at 1.  Offerors were required to provide the lead time needed to schedule each of the courses, and indicate if the proposed course would be available for scheduling in the August or September 2017 timeframe.  Id.  This protest relates only to the contract award for the strategic thinking course.[2] The RFP required that each course accommodate between 25 and 40 students, consisting of a target audience of senior executives, and provide a “3 to 5 day pre-existing open enrollment course of instruction per the institution’s course catalog” designed to address the respective course competencies.  RFP at 4, 7-11, 14.  Offerors were required to propose a base price to provide the course for 25 students, and a per student price for any additional student up to the 40 student maximum.  Id. at 5.  The RFP stated that performance would take place onsite at the vendor’s educational institution, and required that the pricing for each course include course instruction costs (faculty, classroom facilities, books, instructional materials, program management services, website access/breakout rooms, as applicable, and certificates of completion), lodging costs, and meal costs.  Id. at 17, 19.  As relevant to the protest, regarding institutional accreditation, the RFP stated: The Vendor shall demonstrate successful execution in maintaining accreditation by a Regional and/or National institutional accrediting body with the cognizance over the institution of higher learning.  The accrediting body must be one of the regional/national accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education or training offered by the institution.  The Vendor shall submit accreditation verification documents as part of the proposal submission.  The Vendor shall submit, as part of the proposal submission, the institution’s U.S. educational ranking, executive education leadership program ranking, and research ranking. RFP at 12.  Related to this requirement, prior to the issuance of the final RFP, the agency issued a draft RFP on March 16, and provided responses regarding two questions submitted by prospective offerors to clarify the accreditation requirements, as follows: 24.  Q:  . . .  Is DCAA looking specifically for academic and/or higher education institutions to provide these courses or are you open to leadership and organizational development companies submitting their capabilities? A:  DCAA is specifically looking for academic and/or higher education institutions who are accredited per the requirements of the Draft/Final RFP.  Organizational development companies will not be considered for award. 25.  Q:  . . .