TSC Enterprise, LLC

B-415731 Feb 08, 2018 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights TSC Enterprise, LLC, of Suitland, Maryland, protests the award of a contract to Sehlke Consulting, LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA786-17-Q-0780, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration for support services for the Veterans Cemetery Grants Compliance Review Program. TSC alleges that the agency unreasonably evaluated its quotation. We deny the protest. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of:  TSC Enterprise, LLC File:  B-415731 Date:  February 8, 2018 Salome J. Tinker, CPA, TSC Enterprise, LLC, for the protester. Jason A. M. Fragoso, Esq., Department of Veterans Affairs, for the agency. Todd C. Culliton, Esq., and Tania Calhoun, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest is denied where the record shows that the agency evaluated the protester's quotation in accordance with the solicitation's stated evaluation criteria. DECISION TSC Enterprise, LLC, of Suitland, Maryland, protests the award of a contract to Sehlke Consulting, LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. VA786-17-Q-0780, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration for support services for the Veterans Cemetery Grants Compliance Review Program.  TSC alleges that the agency unreasonably evaluated its quotation. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On September 12, 2017, the agency issued the RFQ to procure these support services with a closing date of September 18.  Agency Report (AR), Tab 7, RFQ at 4, 38.  The selected vendor was to send teams to each of the program's VA grant-funded state and tribal veterans cemeteries to conduct comprehensive on-site reviews to measure performance against the agency's operational standards and measures in order to provide the agency with an objective mechanism for determining grantee compliance with the terms and conditions of cemetery grant awards.  Id.  The RFQ contemplated the award of a fixed-price contract to be performed over a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods.  AR, Tab 7, RFQ at 43.  Quotations were to be evaluated on a lowest-priced, technically acceptable basis.  Id. at 82.  In determining technical acceptability, the agency was to evaluate quotations based on technical and past performance factors.  Id. at 83.  To be considered acceptable under the technical factor, vendors were required to demonstrate a clear understanding of their corporate resources and ability to manage effectively the performance work statement (PWS).  Id.  For the past performance factor, vendors were required to provide three past performance references demonstrating that they had the technical capability to perform the contract successfully.  Id.  Vendors were cautioned that quotations which merely restated the requirement or stated that the requirement would be met, without providing supporting rationale, would be insufficient and would not be considered for award.  Id. at 82. Prior to the close of the solicitation period, the agency received six quotations.  The agency evaluated TSC's quotation as unacceptable under both the technical and past performance factors.  Tab 3, Source Selection Decision Document (SSDD) at 3-4.  The agency awarded the contract to Sehlke Consulting at a total price of $1,506,491.  Id.  TSC then filed a protest with the agency.  After the agency-level protest was denied, TSC filed the instant protest with our Office. DISCUSSION TSC challenges the agency's evaluation of its quotation as technically unacceptable.  We considered all of the firm's allegations and find no basis to sustain the protest.  We note at the outset that, in reviewing protests challenging an agency's evaluation of quotations, our Office does not reevaluate quotations or substitute our judgment for that of the agency; rather, we review the record to determine whether the agency's evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation's evaluation criteria, as well as applicable statutes and regulations.  Information Ventures, Inc., B-407478.4, July 17, 2013, 2013 CPD ¶ 176 at 5. Again, the RFQ stated that quotations must demonstrate a clear understanding of the vendor's corporate resources and ability to manage effectively the PWS in order to be considered acceptable under the technical factor.  The PWS specified that vendors were required to demonstrate that their key personnel possessed at least two years of experience serving as a program and/or performance auditor/assessor.  AR, Tab 7, RFQ at 41 The agency determined that TSC's employees did not meet this requirement because their experience was limited to financial accounting.  Tab 3, SSDD at 3.  In our view, the agency's evaluation was reasonable.  TSC's technical proposal contained résumés and short biographies for each of its ...