Trillion ERP VentureTech, LLC (70FA3021Q00000042)

B-420190,B-420190.2,B-420190.3,B-420190.4,B-420190.5 Dec 30, 2021 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Blueprint Consulting Services, LLC, doing business as Excelicon, a small business of Washington, D.C., and Trillion ERP Venture Tech LLC, also a small business, of Reston, Virginia, protest the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with a contractor team led by Appddiction Studio LLC, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 70FA3021Q00000042, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for information technology (IT) sustainment and modernization services. The protesters argue that the agency misevaluated quotations, treated vendors unequally, and conducted an improper best-value determination. The protesters also contend that FEMA failed to adequately consider whether Appddiction's team has organizational conflicts of interest (OCI), and allege that the awardee's quotation failed to comply with the applicable limitations on subcontracting. 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:  Blueprint Consulting Services, LLC, d/b/a Excelicon; Trillion ERP Venture Tech LLC File:  B-420190; B-420190.2; B-420190.3; B-420190.4; B-420190.5 Date:  December 30, 2021 Daniel Strouse, Esq., John J. O’Brien, Esq., Jason Moy, Esq., and Laurel Hockey, Esq., Cordatis LLP, for Blueprint Consulting Services, LLC, d/b/a Excelicon; and William A. Shook, Esq., The Law Offices of William A. Shook PLLC, for Trillion ERP Venture Tech LLC, the protesters. Jeffery M. Chiow, Esq., Lisa N. Himes, Esq., and Stephen L. Bacon, Esq., Rogers Joseph O’Donnell, PC, for Appddiction Studio LLC, the intervenor. Ervin N. Harris, Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Kasia Dourney, Esq., and Evan C. Williams, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1.  Protests alleging organizational conflicts of interest are denied where the protesters have neither demonstrated a conflict exists nor that the agency’s consideration of potential conflicts was unreasonable. 2.  Protests challenging the evaluation of the awardee’s prior experience are denied where the awardee properly derived its experience from work performed by its subcontractor.  DECISION Blueprint Consulting Services, LLC, doing business as Excelicon, a small business of Washington, D.C., and Trillion ERP Venture Tech LLC, also a small business, of Reston, Virginia, protest the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with a contractor team led by Appddiction Studio LLC, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 70FA3021Q00000042, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for information technology (IT) sustainment and modernization services. The protesters argue that the agency misevaluated quotations, treated vendors unequally, and conducted an improper best-value determination.  The protesters also contend that FEMA failed to adequately consider whether Appddiction’s team has organizational conflicts of interest (OCI), and allege that the awardee’s quotation failed to comply with the applicable limitations on subcontracting.  We deny the protests. BACKGROUND On June 18, 2021, the agency issued the RFQ, seeking quotations for application development, sustainment, and integration services supporting the agency’s Recovery Technology Programs Division (RTPD), operating disaster recovery IT systems for both public and individual assistance.  Agency Report (AR), Tab P, RTPD BPA Statement of Work (SOW) at 2; Excelicon Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) ¶¶ 1-3.[1]  The RFQ was issued under the federal supply schedule (FSS) procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 8.4, as a set-aside for small businesses, and was limited to vendors holding contracts under FSS IT schedule 70.  AR, Tab C, RFQ at 5; Excelicon COS ¶¶ 1-3  The RFQ contemplated the establishment of a single BPA, for a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods, with a maximum order value of $75 million over the five year term.  RFQ at 5-6. Under the BPA, the agency could issue orders on a fixed-priced, labor-hour, or time-and-materials basis.  Id. at 8.  In conjunction with the establishment of the BPA, the RFQ also anticipated issuance of the first call order, for services supporting the National Emergency Management Information System-Individual Assistance (NEMIS-IA) recovery system.Id.