SMS Data Products Group, Inc. (QSU-OIS202000003)

B-418925.2,B-418925.3,B-418925.4 Nov 25, 2020 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights SMS Data Products Group, Inc., of McLean, Virginia, protests the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with Applied Insight, LLC, of Tysons, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. QSU-OIS202000003, which was issued by the United States Capitol Police (USCP), for information technology engineering support services. SMS challenges the agency's evaluation of quotations, and the resulting award 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 version has been approved for public release.   Decision Matter of:  SMS Data Products Group, Inc. File:  B-418925.2; B-418925.3; B-418925.4 Date:  November 25, 2020 Eric S. Crusius, Esq., Amy L. Fuentes, Esq., and Gregory R. Hallmark, Esq., Holland & Knight LLP, for the protester. C. Peter Dungan, Esq., and Roger V. Abbott, Esq., Miles & Stockbridge P.C., for Applied Insight, LLC, the intervenor. Thomas A. DiBiase, Esq., United States Capitol Police, for the agency. Evan D. Wesser, Esq., and Edward Goldstein, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of quotations is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation, and the protester’s disagreement regarding the number and significance of assessed strengths, and the adjectival ratings assigned, fails to demonstrate that the agency’s underlying evaluation was unreasonable. DECISION   SMS Data Products Group, Inc., of McLean, Virginia, protests the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with Applied Insight, LLC, of Tysons, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. QSU-OIS202000003, which was issued by the United States Capitol Police (USCP), for information technology engineering support services.  SMS challenges the agency’s evaluation of quotations, and the resulting award decision. We deny the protest.[1] BACKGROUND The RFQ, which was issued on February 6, 2020, and subsequently amended once, sought quotations for the establishment of a BPA for information technology engineering support services for the USCP Office of Information Systems, specifically support for server infrastructure, mobility, unified communications, and networks.  Agency Report (AR), Tab 1, RFQ at 20.[2]  The agency issued the RFQ pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 8.4 to six Federal Supply Schedule contractors, including SMS and Applied Insight.  See Contracting Officer’s Statement at 1.  The RFQ anticipated the establishment of a single BPA with a 12-month base period, and four 1‑year option periods; orders will be placed on a labor hour basis.  AR, Tab 1, RFQ at 2, 19. Award was to be made on a best-value tradeoff basis, considering three evaluation factors:  (1) overall technical approach and management plan; (2) past performance; and (3) price.  Id. at 2.  The technical approach and management plan factor included two subfactors:  (a) proposed methodology and demonstrated understanding of the scope of work and the requirements; and (b) professional staff qualifications, technical experience, and key personnel resumes.  Id.  The non-price factors, which are listed above in descending order of importance, were considered more important than price.  Id.  Only the technical approach and management plan factor, and its corresponding subfactors, are relevant to the resolution of the issues addressed in this decision. USCP was to evaluate each vendor’s technical qualifications based on the required narratives included in the vendor’s respective quotations.  Id. at 2.  As to the methodology and understanding subfactor, vendors were required to provide a discussion of their respective overall technical approaches and management plans to meet the objectives and demonstrate an understanding of the requirements as set forth in the solicitation’s statement of work.  Id.  Under the staffing factor, vendors were required to submit resumes for the statement of work’s designated key personnel positions reflecting the vendors’ understanding of the RFQ’s requirements and respective technical approach.  Vendors were also required to provide a matrix including the background, experience, and education of each proposed employee mapped to the appropriate statement of work requirement that supported the labor category and level that the contractor proposed for the requirements.  USCP was to evaluate the level of the employees’ experience, education, and technical qualifications.  Id. at 2-3. USCP received six quotations in response to the RFQ, including those from SMS and Applied Insight.  AR, Tab 6, Award Memo.