Immersion Consulting, LLC (70RTAC22R00000006)

B-420638,B-420638.2 Jun 30, 2022 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Immersion Consulting, LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) of Annapolis, Maryland, protests the issuance of a task order to Evoke Consulting, LLC, an SDVOSB of Arlington, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RTAC22R00000006 for services in support of the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). The protester challenges the agency's evaluation of proposals and source selection 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 redacted version has been approved for public release. Decision Matter of: Immersion Consulting, LLC File: B-420638; B-420638.2 Date: June 30, 2022 Alexander B. Ginsberg, Esq., Meghan D. Doherty, Esq., and Toghrul Shukurlu, Esq., Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, for the protester. Stephanie D. Wilson, Esq., and Aleksey R. House, Esq., Berenzweig Leonard, LLP, for Evoke Research and Consulting, LLC, the intervenor. Peter G. Hartman, Esq., and Joseph Jankunis, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Hannah G. Barnes, Esq., and Christina Sklarew, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest that the agency’s assessment of a weakness in the protester’s proposal reflected a clear evaluation error is denied where the agency reasonably relied on the information provided in the protester’s proposal, and where the offeror bears the burden of submitting an adequately written proposal. 2. Protest that the agency applied unstated evaluation criteria in its evaluation of the protester’s proposal is denied where the record reflects that the challenged evaluation was premised on matters that were logically encompassed by the stated evaluation criteria. 3. Protest that the agency failed to justify a weakness assessed to the protester’s proposal is denied where the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. 4. Protest challenging the agency’s best-value tradeoff analysis is denied where the record reflects that the agency’s source selection rationale was based on a reasonable evaluation and was consistent with the stated evaluation criteria. DECISION Immersion Consulting, LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) of Annapolis, Maryland, protests the issuance of a task order to Evoke Consulting, LLC, an SDVOSB of Arlington, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RTAC22R00000006 for services in support of the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). The protester challenges the agency’s evaluation of proposals and source selection decision. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The agency issued the solicitation on January 20, 2022, pursuant to the procedures in Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 16.5, to SDVOSB firms holding General Services Administration Veterans Technology Services indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) governmentwide acquisition contracts. Agency Report (AR), Tab 7b, RFP at 1-2.[1] The solicitation contemplated the issuance of a single task order with a 1-year base period of performance and two 1-year option periods. Id. at 2. The solicitation sought information technology, program administration, operations management, and governance and oversight services in support of both the HSIN and a network identified as the Integrated Multi-Domain Enterprise (IMDE).[2] Id. at 20. The solicitation provided for award on a best-value tradeoff basis, considering three evaluation factors, listed in descending order of importance: technical approach; management approach and staffing; and price. RFP at 11. The solicitation advised that all non-price factors, when combined, were significantly more important than price. Id. As relevant here, under the management approach and staffing factor, the solicitation advised offerors that proposals would be evaluated to determine “the degree to which the proposed approach for allocating qualified non-key personnel . . . [can] meet the dynamic staffing needs of this order.” RFP at 14 (emphasis added). The RFP also advised offerors that proposals would be evaluated based on “the likelihood that the [s]taffing approach demonstrates an ability to meet applicable requirements in a timeframe which will successfully achieve the schedule and performance requirements for the order, to include surge staffing as needed.” Id. DHS received multiple proposals by the February 16 submission due date, including proposals from Immersion and Evoke.