Technica LLC

B-417177,B-417177.2,B-417177.3,B-417177.4,B-417177.5 Mar 21, 2019 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Technica, LLC, of Charleston, South Carolina, protests the issuance of a task order to Aviation Security Management, LLC (ASM), of Dumfries, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70T05018R5NSPP176, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, for airport screening security services at Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda, Florida. Technica argues that the agency misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable source selection decision. We deny the protest in part, and dismiss it in part. We deny the protest in part, and dismiss it in part. 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:  Technica LLC File:  B-417177; B-417177.2; B-417177.3; B-417177.4; B-417177.5 Date:  March 21, 2019 Robert K. Tompkins, Esq., Mary Beth Bosco, Esq., Rodney M. Perry, Esq., and Vijaya S. Surampudi, Esq., Holland & Knight, LLP, for the protester. Marina Burton Blickley, Esq., and Ken M. Kanzawa, Odin Feldman Pittleman PC, for the intervenor. Michael Kiffney, Esq., Angela Varner, Esq., and Christopher J. Reames, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Scott H. Riback, Esq., and Tania Calhoun, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1.  Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of protester’s past performance is denied where record shows that agency has a reasonable basis for eliminating from consideration past performance examples that the agency determined were not relevant. 2.  Protest allegations challenging various aspects of agency’s technical evaluation of protester’s proposal are dismissed where record shows that, even if the protester were correct, the alleged errors did not prejudice the protester. 3.  Protest allegations challenging agency’s evaluation of awardee’s proposal are dismissed because protester is not an interested party to maintain the allegations. DECISION Technica, LLC, of Charleston, South Carolina, protests the issuance of a task order to Aviation Security Management, LLC (ASM), of Dumfries, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70T05018R5NSPP176, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, for airport screening security services at Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda, Florida.  Technica argues that the agency misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable source selection decision. We deny the protest in part, and dismiss it in part. BACKGROUND The RFP contemplates the issuance, on a best-value tradeoff basis, of a fixed-price task order to provide airport security screening services for a base period of 1 year and four 1-year option periods.  Firms were advised that proposals would be evaluated considering price and several non-price considerations.  The evaluation factors were as follows:  (1) cost efficiency (evaluated on a pass/fail basis as a threshold matter to determine whether an offeror’s evaluated price was equal to or less than the agency’s estimate of cost to the government); (2) transition and operational management approach; (3) program management and training approach; (4) past performance; and (5) price.  RFP at 58.  The RFP also advised that transition and operational management approach, and program management and training approach, were of equal importance, and more important than past performance; and factors 2 through 4 were collectively significantly more important than price.[1]  Id. In response to the RFP, the agency received three proposals, including those of the protester and awardee.  The agency evaluated the proposals and, after determining that all three were acceptable under the cost efficiency factor, included them all in the competitive range.  The agency engaged in discussions and solicited, obtained and evaluated final proposal revisions (FPR).  After evaluating FPRs, the agency assigned the following ratings to the proposals:   Cost Efficiency Transition & Operational Management Approach Program Management & Training Approach Past Performance Price ASM Acceptable Outstanding Good Significant Confidence $27,004,543.55 Technica Acceptable Good Acceptable Satisfactory Confidence $28,155,522.28 Offeror A Acceptable Outstanding Good Satisfactory Confidence $27,687,649.00 Agency Report (AR), exh.