Bowhead Mission Solutions, LLC (ID03200029)

B-419385.7 Jul 14, 2022 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Bowhead Mission Solutions, LLC, a small business of Springfield, Virginia, requests that we recommend the firm be reimbursed the costs of pursuing its protest of the issuance of a task order to Manta Group, LLC, of Reston, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. ID03200029, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) for global fielding services. Bowhead argues that its protest was clearly meritorious and that the agency unduly delayed taking corrective action. We grant the request. 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: Bowhead Mission Solutions, LLC‑‑Costs File: B‑419385.7 Date: July 14, 2022 Robert K. Tompkins, Esq., Hillary J. Freund, Esq., Kelsey M. Hayes, Esq., and Sean R. Belanger, Esq., Holland & Knight, LLP, for the protester. Karen A. Janco, Esq., General Services Administration, for the agency. David A. Edelstein, Esq., and Alexander O. Levine, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Request that GAO recommend reimbursement of protest costs is granted where challenge to unexplained differences between the initial evaluation and the reevaluation of the protester’s proposal were clearly meritorious, and the agency unduly delayed taking corrective action. DECISION Bowhead Mission Solutions, LLC, a small business of Springfield, Virginia, requests that we recommend the firm be reimbursed the costs of pursuing its protest of the issuance of a task order to Manta Group, LLC, of Reston, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. ID03200029, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) for global fielding services. Bowhead argues that its protest was clearly meritorious and that the agency unduly delayed taking corrective action. We grant the request. BACKGROUND On September 9, 2020, the agency issued the RFP to Small Business Pool 1 holders of GSA’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity contract, seeking global fielding services on behalf of the United States Army, Project Manager Mission Command. Agency Report (AR), Tab 1, RFP at 1; Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 1.[1] The RFP contemplated award of a fixed-price, time-and-materials hybrid contract with a 12‑month base period and four 12‑month option periods. AR, Tab 2, RFP amend. 3 at 45.[2] The RFP provided that award would be made on a best‑value tradeoff basis considering price and four non‑price factors: management approach, staffing, transition‑in, and past performance.[3] RFP amend. 3 at 17‑21. With respect to each of these non-price factors, and on an overall basis, the agency assigned each proposal a rating indicating whether it “does not meet,” “meets,” or “exceeds” the requirements of the RFP’s performance work statement (PWS). COS at 2. GSA received six timely proposals, including proposals from Bowhead and Manta. COS at 1. The agency convened a technical evaluation panel (TEP) consisting of an acquisition project manager from GSA and three subject‑matter experts from the Army activity on whose behalf GSA was conducting the procurement. AR, Tab 14, First TEP Report at 2. The TEP assigned Bowhead’s proposal a rating of “meets” on the management approach, staffing, and past performance factors, a rating of “exceeds” on the transition‑in factor, and an overall rating of “meets.” Id. at 18‑23. On July 12, 2021, the agency made award to Manta Group. In explaining the basis for this award, the contracting officer adopted the TEP’s ratings of Bowhead’s proposal. AR, Tab 15, First Award Memorandum at 11‑12. With respect to the management approach factor, the contracting officer found that Bowhead presented an overall efficient and effective management approach that satisfied the requirements of the PWS with “a low or moderate degree of risk.” Id. With respect to the staffing factor, the contracting officer found that Bowhead proposed an effective approach to staffing requirements that satisfied the requirements of the PWS with a high probability of successful contract performance and a low degree of risk. Id. at 12. The contracting officer specifically stated that Bowhead’s proposal warranted a rating of “meets” on both of these factors. Id. at 11-12. The agency assessed Manta an overall rating of “exceeds.” Id. at 12-13. Since Manta’s technically superior proposal was also lower-priced, the contracting officer determined that Manta represented the best value to the government. Id. at 23. On July 27, 2021, Bowhead protested the award to Manta with our Office. Protest, B‑419385.3 at 1-35.