Systems Implementers, Inc. (FA8201-20-R-0005)

B-418963.5,B-418963.6,B-418963.7,B-418963.8,B-418963.9 Jun 01, 2022 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Systems Implementers, Inc. (SI), a small business of Clearfield, Utah (the incumbent contractor), and Transcend Technological Systems, LLC (TTS), a small business of Prattville, Alabama, protest the award of a contract to OM Group, Inc. (OMG), a small business of Piscataway, New Jersey, under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA8201-20-R-0005. The Air Force issued the RFP for sustainment, modernization, and consolidation services for the Hill Enterprise Data Center (HEDC) located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The protesters challenge the agency's evaluation of the awardee's technical proposal, the agency's evaluation of the protesters' own technical proposals, the agency's evaluation of offerors' proposed professional employee compensation plans, and the agency's best-value tradeoff. We deny the protests. 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: Systems Implementers, Inc.; Transcend Technological Systems, LLC File: B-418963.5; B-418963.6; B-418963.7; B-418963.8; B-418963.9 Date: June 1, 2022 David S. Black, Esq., Gregory R. Hallmark, Esq., Amy L. Fuentes, Esq., and Danielle R. Rich, Esq., Holland & Knight LLP, for Systems Implementers, Inc.; J. Sott Hommer, III, Esq., Rebecca E. Pearson, Esq., Christopher G. Griesedieck, Esq., Taylor A. Hillman, Esq., Marcos R. Gonzalez, Esq., and Lindsay M. Reed, Esq., Venable LLP, for Transcend Technological Systems, LLC, the protesters. Katherine B. Burrows, Esq., Matthew E. Feinberg, Esq., Jacqueline K. Unger, Esq., and Eric A. Valle, Esq., Piliero Mazza, for OM Group, Inc., the intervenor. Colonel Frank Yoon, Major Alissa J. K. Schrider, and Heidi M. Fischer, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Heather Self, Esq., and Peter H. Tran, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protests challenging agency’s technical evaluation of the awardee’s proposal are denied because the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. 2. Protests that the agency should have assigned protesters’ proposals multiple strengths and higher technical ratings reflect the protesters’ disagreement with the agency’s evaluation judgment, and provide no basis for sustaining the protests. 3. Protests that the agency evaluated in a disparate manner are denied because the record reflects that differences in evaluations were a result of differences in proposals. 4. Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of offerors’ professional employee compensation plans is denied because the record demonstrates that the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation and the requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation provision 52.222-46. 3. Protests challenging the agency’s best-value tradeoff source selection decision are denied. With respect to the first protester, the agency reasonably found that firm’s proposal to be lower-rated and higher-priced than the awardee’s proposal, thus, no tradeoff between the two was required. With respect to the second protester, the agency reasonably found that firm’s and the awardee’s proposals essentially equal under four of five evaluation factors, and reasonably relied on a discriminator under a fifth evaluation factor to justify payment of the awardee’s less than half a percent price premium. DECISION Systems Implementers, Inc. (SI), a small business of Clearfield, Utah (the incumbent contractor), and Transcend Technological Systems, LLC (TTS), a small business of Prattville, Alabama, protest the award of a contract to OM Group, Inc. (OMG), a small business of Piscataway, New Jersey, under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA8201-20-R-0005. The Air Force issued the RFP for sustainment, modernization, and consolidation services for the Hill Enterprise Data Center (HEDC) located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The protesters challenge the agency’s evaluation of the awardee’s technical proposal, the agency’s evaluation of the protesters’ own technical proposals, the agency’s evaluation of offerors’ proposed professional employee compensation plans, and the agency’s best-value tradeoff. We deny the protests. BACKGROUND The agency issued the solicitation on January 23, 2020, as a small business set-aside using the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 15.