M&C Venture Group, LLC ()

B-419270 Jan 11, 2021 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights M&C Venture Group, LLC (M&C), a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) of Bellport, New York, protests the exercise of an option to extend services under contract No. 36C24220D0088 awarded to United Veterans Beacon House (UVBH), of Bay Shore, New York, by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), for residential housing services for homeless veterans as part of the healthcare for homeless veterans (HCHV) program. M&C contends that the agency failed to follow applicable regulations in exercising the option. 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:  M&C Venture Group, LLC File:  B-419270 Date:  January 11, 2021 Justin T. Huffman, Esq., Camardo Law Firm, PC, for the protester. Deborah K. Morrell, Esq., Department of Veterans Affairs, for the agency. Sarah T. Zaffina, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest that the agency improperly exercised an option under another offeror’s existing contract is denied where the agency reasonably determined that exercising the option was the most advantageous means of satisfying the agency’s needs. DECISION M&C Venture Group, LLC (M&C), a service‑disabled veteran‑owned small business (SDVOSB) of Bellport, New York, protests the exercise of an option to extend services under contract No. 36C24220D0088 awarded to United Veterans Beacon House (UVBH), of Bay Shore, New York, by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), for residential housing services for homeless veterans as part of the healthcare for homeless veterans (HCHV) program.  M&C contends that the agency failed to follow applicable regulations in exercising the option. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On August 5, 2019, the VA issued request for proposals (RFP) No. 36C24219R0109, on an unrestricted basis, pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) parts 12 and 15.  Agency Report (AR), Tab 3, RFP at 1, 5.  The solicitation sought residential housing services for homeless veterans on-site at the Northport VA Medical Center in Northport, New York, and required that the contractor provide room and board, food service, laundry service, therapeutic and rehabilitative services, and case management for identified veterans.  Id. at 10-13.  The contract awarded under this RFP will move the homeless housing and case management services from their current location at off-site facilities in Long Island, New York to on-site facilities at the Northport VA Medical Center.  AR, Tab 2, Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 1.  At the time this solicitation was issued, UVBH was providing residential housing services off-site at its two Long Island, New York locations under a contract with the VA that was set to expire on March 31, 2020.  Id. The solicitation anticipated award of a fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods to begin January 1, 2020.  RFP at 6‑7, 91.  The due date for proposals was September 6, 2019.  Id. at 1.  On September 11, 2019, our Office received a protest from a different unsuccessful offeror challenging the agency’s refusal to extend the proposal deadline.  We denied that protest on November 21, finding that the agency’s refusal was reasonable.  Patriot First Prof’l Servs., Inc., B-417965, Nov. 21, 2019, 2019 CPD ¶ 393 at 3.  While that protest was pending, the VA stayed its evaluation.  COS at 1. On February 13, 2020, the VA awarded the contract to UVBH, and M&C filed a protest with our Office on February 21.  Id.  M&C argued that the agency failed to evaluate proposals in accordance with the stated evaluation criteria and failed to conduct a proper best-value tradeoff analysis.  In response, the VA proposed to take corrective action by terminating the contract award, reevaluating proposals consistent with the solicitation terms, and making a new award decision.  On March 10, we dismissed the protest as academic.  M&C Venture Group, LLC, B‑417965.2, Mar. 10, 2020 (unpublished decision). On March 26, the VA posted on the website beta.SAM.gov, a notice of award and justification and approval (J&A) for other than full and open competition for the award of a short‑term, sole-source contract to UVBH for residential housing and case management services as part of the HCHV program on Long Island.[1]  COS at 3.  The VA determined the interim emergency contract was required to provide the necessary services while the VA completed its corrective action.  AR, Tab 4b, J&A at 1.  The VA further determined that any gap in the provision of services “would have a detrimental impact on those veterans in this geographical area.”  AR, Tab ...