ValidaTek-CITI, LLC (70SBUR19R00000056)

B-418320.2,B-418320.3,B-418320.4 Apr 22, 2020 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights ValidaTek-CITI, LLC (ValidaTek), of McLean, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order contract to Trusted Mission Solutions, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70SBUR19R00000056, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for information technology (IT) services. ValidaTek argues that that the agency unreasonably evaluated proposals and improperly made its source selection decision. We deny 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:  ValidaTek-CITI, LLC File:  B-418320.2; B-418320.3; B-418320.4 Date:  April 22, 2020 H. Todd Whay, Esq., Baker, Cronogue, Tolle & Werfel, LLP, for the protester. J. Patrick McMahon, Esq., William T. Welch, Esq., and Johana Reed, Esq., McMahon, Welch and Learned, PLLC, for Trusted Mission Solutions, Inc., the intervenor. John E. Cornell, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, 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 1.  Protest allegation that the agency unreasonably evaluated past performance and technical proposals is denied where the record shows that the evaluations were consistent with the solicitation’s terms and conditions, or did not result in competitive prejudice. 2.  Protest allegation that the awardee materially misrepresented its key personnel is denied where the record shows that any misrepresentation did not materially affect the evaluation. 3.  Protest allegation that the agency unreasonably made its source selection tradeoff decision is denied where the record shows that the decision was consistent with the solicitation’s terms and conditions. DECISION ValidaTek-CITI, LLC (ValidaTek), of McLean, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order contract to Trusted Mission Solutions, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70SBUR19R00000056, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for information technology (IT) services.  ValidaTek argues that that the agency unreasonably evaluated proposals and improperly made its source selection decision. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND USCIS issued the solicitation on August 12, 2019, to obtain integration testing as well as development and operations (IT&D) support services.[1]  RFP at 1, 91.[2]  The contractor would be expected to provide independent integration testing, and to collaborate with development and agile testing groups in order to identify continuous improvement opportunities.  Id. at 91.  The RFP contemplated the award of a fixed-price task order with a 6‑month base period, and three 6-month option periods.  Id. at 109.  Award would be made on a best-value tradeoff basis, considering technical challenge, video presentation, past performance, and price factors.  RFP at 87.  For the video presentation and technical challenge factors, the agency would use an adjectival rating system consisting of the following ratings:  superior, good, acceptable, and unacceptable.  Id. at 90.  For the past performance factor, the agency would use ratings of high confidence, some confidence, low confidence, and no confidence.  Id.  The solicitation contemplated a two-phase evaluation.  During Phase One, the agency would evaluate proposals under the video presentation and past performance factors.  The agency also anticipated a limited review of labor categories and rates during Phase One.  RFP at 87.  The agency would select the highest technically rated proposals to advance to the next phase.  Id. For Phase Two, the solicitation contemplated that the agency would evaluate proposals under the technical challenge and price factors, and make a tradeoff analysis considering those two factors.  RFP at 87.  When completing the technical challenge, each offeror would receive a problem statement, prepare its response, and then present the response to the agency.  Id. at 85.  The solicitation advised that the technical challenge factor was significantly more important than the price factor.  Id.