Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (DJJP-17-RFP-1022)

B-416377.9,B-416377.10,B-416377.11,B-416377.12,B-416377.13,B-416377.14 Nov 13, 2020 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Qbase, LLC, a small business located in Herndon, Virginia, Perspecta Enterprise Solutions, LLC, located in Herndon, Virginia, and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, located in Herndon, Virginia, protest the award of seven indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts under request for proposals (RFP) No. DJJP-17-RFP-1022, issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for information technology support services. The protesters argue that the agency unequally and unreasonably evaluated proposals after our Office sustained a prior protest of this procurement, unequally and improperly conducted discussions, and failed to properly consider price in its best-value tradeoff determination. We sustain the protest. View Decision 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:  Qbase, LLC; Perspecta Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation File:  B-416377.9; B-416377.10; B-416377.11; B-416377.12; B-416377.13; B-416377.14 Date:  November 13, 2020 Richard J. Conway, Esq., Adam Proujansky, Esq., and Michael J. Slattery, Esq., Blank Rome LLP, for Qbase, LLC; Daniel R. Forman, Esq., Eric M. Ransom, Esq., James G. Peyster, Esq., and William B. O’Reilly, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, for Perspecta Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Richard A. Sauber, Esq., Deneen J. Melander, Esq., and Courtney L. Millian, Esq., Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber LLP, for Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, the protesters. James Y. Boland, Esq., and Christopher G. Griesedieck, Esq., Venable LLP, for MetroStar Systems, Inc.; Gary J. Campbell, Esq., G. Matthew Koehl, Esq., and Lidiya Kurin, Esq., Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, for Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.; and Carla J. Weiss, Esq., and Noah B. Bleicher, Esq., Jenner & Block, LLP, for SRA International, the intervenors. Andrew J. Baker, Esq., and Christopher Radcliffe, Esq., Department of Justice, for the agency. Alexander O. Levine, Esq., Sarah T. Zaffina, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1.  Protest contending that exchanges conducted with two offerors were improper discussions is denied where the exchanges amounted to clarifications of vague information contained within the offerors’ proposals and did not afford the offerors the opportunity to revise their proposals.  2.  Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of an awardee’s past performance and corporate experience is denied where the agency reasonably considered and accounted for the awardee’s failure to provide the minimum number of relevant past performance and corporate experience references. 3.  Protest challenging agency’s best-value determination is sustained where the record reflects that the agency performed a mechanical tradeoff analysis that failed to meaningfully consider price and resulted in the exclusion of technically acceptable proposals. DECISION   Qbase, LLC, a small business located in Herndon, Virginia, Perspecta Enterprise Solutions, LLC, located in Herndon, Virginia, and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, located in Herndon, Virginia, protest the award of seven indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts under request for proposals (RFP) No. DJJP-17-RFP-1022, issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for information technology support services.[1]  The protesters argue that the agency unequally and unreasonably evaluated proposals after our Office sustained a prior protest of this procurement, unequally and improperly conducted discussions, and failed to properly consider price in its best-value tradeoff determination.  We sustain the protest. BACKGROUND On February 22, 2017, DOJ issued the RFP, seeking contractor assistance in support of the agency’s Information Technology Support Services-5 (ITSS-5) program.  The base period of performance will be from the date of award through September 30, 2022; the solicitation also contains a 5-year option period.  Agency Report (AR), Tab 1, RFP at 30.[2]  The agency anticipated award of approximately 15 contracts, six on an unrestricted basis and nine to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses; this protest concerns the award of contracts on an unrestricted basis.  Id. at 88.  The total estimated value for the base period and option period is $4.5 billion.  Id.