ZolonTech, Inc. (HHM402-19-R-0013)

B-418213,B-418213.2 Jan 23, 2020 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights ZolonTech, Inc., of Herndon, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Federated IT, Inc., of Arlington, Virginia, under task order request for proposals (RFP) No. HHM402-19-R-0013, issued by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for a private cloud system. The protester challenges various aspects of the agency's evaluation of its and the awardee's proposals under the technical/management factor. We deny the protest. View Decision DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. The entire decision has now been approved for public release. Decision Matter of:  ZolonTech, Inc. File:  B-418213; B-418213.2 Date:  January 23, 2020 William T. Welch, Esq., J. Patrick McMahon, Esq., and Johana A. Reed, Esq., McMahon, Welch and Learned, PLLC, for the protester. Gregory A. Moritz, Esq., Major Christopher M. Kovach, Major Michael C. Ahl, and Max D. Houtz, Esq., Defense Intelligence Agency, for the agency. April Y. Shields, Esq., and Christina Sklarew, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of the protester’s and the awardee’s proposals under the technical/management factor--including allegations that the agency unreasonably failed to assess several strengths in the protester’s proposal--is denied where the record shows that the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. DECISION ZolonTech, Inc., of Herndon, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Federated IT, Inc., of Arlington, Virginia, under task order request for proposals (RFP) No. HHM402-19-R-0013, issued by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for a private cloud system.  The protester challenges various aspects of the agency’s evaluation of its and the awardee’s proposals under the technical/management factor. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On June 11, 2019, the agency issued the RFP, pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation part 16, to holders of DIA Enhanced Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise (E-SITE) indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts.  See Agency Report (AR), Tab 4.2, RFP.[1]  The RFP seeks a contractor to support the Department of Defense Intelligence Information System Private Cloud (DPC) effort.  Specifically, the objective of the DPC effort “is to implement a software-defined, commercially available off[-]the[-]shelf (COTS), and predominantly non-custom compiled unique hyper-converged private cloud operated as an on-premises infrastructure system.”  RFP attach. A, Performance Work Statement (PWS), at 2.  As the agency explains:  “DIA is in the process of consolidating its global data centers along with adopting cloud offerings.  In this regard, the subject DPC solicitation advances DIA’s community and cloud strategy.”  Memorandum of Law (MOL), Nov. 19, 2019, at 2; see also RFP attach. A, PWS, at 2. The RFP contemplates the issuance of a single hybrid task order with fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursable contract line item numbers for a base year, four 1‑year option periods, and a possible 6-month extension.  RFP attach. A, PWS, at 19; RFP, attach. G, Offeror Instructions and Evaluation Factors, at 10.  The RFP notes that the total value of the task order was estimated to be in the range of $115 million to $125 million.  RFP, attach. G, Offeror Instructions and Evaluation Factors, at 10.  The RFP provided for award on a best-value tradeoff basis, weighing two factors:  technical/management and cost/price.  RFP, attach. G, Offeror Instructions and Evaluation Factors, at 8.  The RFP advised that the technical/management factor was significantly more important than cost/price and that award would not necessarily be made to the lowest-priced offer or a technically superior offer.  Id. at 8. The technical/management factor included three equally weighted subfactors.[2]  For each subfactor, the RFP provided an introductory paragraph explaining that the agency would “evaluate the feasibility and achievability of the offeror’s demonstrated approach”; the RFP then listed and described several specific elements, or “attributes/ characteristics [that] will be considered[,]” under each subfactor.  RFP, attach.