Citizant, Inc. (70RSAT21Q00000001)

B-420660,B-420660.2,B-420660.4,B-420660.5,B-420660.6 Jul 13, 2022 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Citizant, Inc., a small business of Chantilly, Virginia, and Steampunk, Inc., a small business of McLean, Virginia, protest the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with SiloSmashers, Inc., a small business of Reston, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 70RSAT21Q00000001, which was issued for information technology support services. Citizant challenges the agency's evaluation of its own price quotation, and Citizant and Steampunk challenge the agency's evaluation of technical quotations. 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: Citizant, Inc.; Steampunk, Inc. File: B-420660; B-420660.2, B-420660.4; B-420660.5, B-420660.6 Date: July 13, 2022 Tenley A. Carp, Esq., Sara M. Lord, Esq., and Erin N. Winn, Esq., Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, for Citizant, Inc.; and David S. Black, Esq., Gregory R. Hallmark, Esq., Hillary J. Freund, Esq., and Danielle Rich, Esq., Holland & Knight LLP, for Steampunk, Inc., the protesters. Lars E. Anderson, Esq., Charlotte R. Rosen, Esq., and James P. Miller, Esq., Odin Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., for SiloSmashers, Inc., the intervenor. Philip Lee, Esq., and Russell Moy, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Raymond Richards, Esq., and Jonathan L. Kang, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Challenge to the evaluation of the protester’s quotation under the price factor is denied where the record demonstrates that the protester failed to submit a price quotation in accordance with the solicitation’s instructions and the agency reasonably excluded that vendor from the best‑value tradeoff. 2. Protester is not an interested party to challenge the agency’s technical evaluation where its quotation was reasonably excluded from award consideration for failing to submit a compliant price quotation. 3. Protest challenging the evaluation of the awardee’s quotation under the demonstrated corporate experience factor is denied where the record shows that the evaluation was conducted reasonably and in accordance with the solicitation. 4. Protest alleging that the awardee’s quotation materially misrepresented the experience of the firm’s proposed program manager is denied where the protester fails to establish that the issue was material to the evaluation. 5. Protest challenging the evaluation of quotations under the oral presentation factor is denied for failing to demonstrate competitive prejudice. 6. Protest challenging the best‑value tradeoff decision is denied where the record adequately details the basis for selecting the lower technically rated, lower‑priced quotation. DECISION Citizant, Inc., a small business of Chantilly, Virginia, and Steampunk, Inc., a small business of McLean, Virginia, protest the establishment of a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with SiloSmashers, Inc., a small business of Reston, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 70RSAT21Q00000001, which was issued for information technology support services. Citizant challenges the agency’s evaluation of its own price quotation, and Citizant and Steampunk challenge the agency’s evaluation of technical quotations. We deny the protests. BACKGROUND DHS issued the RFQ as a small business set‑aside on June 10, 2021, under the Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) provisions of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 8.4. Citizant Agency Report (AR), Tab 6a, RFQ at 2;[1] Citizant Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 3. The RFQ sought quotations for information technology (IT) support services for the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Office of the Chief Information Officer. RFQ at 2. The statement of work (SOW) explained that the agency “requires professional technical support services to assist the organizations, missions, functions, and objectives enabling DHS S&T to integrate innovative technology into everyday use by the DHS operational components.” Citizant AR, Tab 3a, BPA SOW at 1.[2] The agency’s requirements were described in terms of the following five “function areas:” Program Management and Business Management Office Information Assurance (IA) Systems Engineering [IA] Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) Support Service Delivery (SD) IT Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Support [SD] IT Governance Support: S&T Collaborative Solutions/SharePoint Id. at 2‑8. The RFQ contemplated the establishment of a single‑award BPA with a 1‑year base period and three 1‑year option periods, valued at an estimated $111 million. RFQ at 2, 25.