Verizon Business Network Services, LLC (70T03021R7667N003)

B-420945.2,B-420945.4 Nov 17, 2022 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Verizon Business Network Services LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to AT&T Corp., of Oakton, Virginia, under task order request for proposals (TORP) No. 70T03021R7667N003, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for telecommunications network services. The protester alleges that the agency unreasonably evaluated offerors' proposals under the non-price evaluation factors. 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: Verizon Business Network Services, LLC File: B‑420945.2; B‑420945.4 Date: November 17, 2022 Adam K. Lasky, Esq., Amy C. Hoang, Esq., and Sarah F. Burgart, Esq., Seyfarth Shaw LLP, for the protester. Jonathan M. Baker, Esq., James G. Peyster, Esq., and Tyler S. Brown, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, for AT&T Corp., the intervenor. Christopher J. Curry, Esq., Kimberly M. Shackelford, Esq. and Christian Jordan, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. David A. Edelstein, Esq., Christopher Alwood, Esq., and Alexander O. Levine, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest that source selection authority (SSA) failed to consider benefits of protester’s proposal is denied where the record demonstrates that the SSA considered these features and reasonably concluded that the awardee’s proposal was technically superior. 2. Protest that agency did not evaluate the quality of performance of offerors’ past experience examples is denied where the solicitation did not require such an evaluation. 3. Protest that agency incorrectly compared the experience of offerors’ proposed key personnel is denied where, although the agency erred in its evaluation, the protester cannot demonstrate prejudice from the error. DECISION Verizon Business Network Services LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to AT&T Corp., of Oakton, Virginia, under task order request for proposals (TORP) No. 70T03021R7667N003, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for telecommunications network services. The protester alleges that the agency unreasonably evaluated offerors’ proposals under the non‑price evaluation factors. We deny the protest. Background On September 23, 2021, the agency issued the TORP under the General Services Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions multiple award indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity contract. Contracting Officer’s Statement at 1‑2. The TORP sought service and support for TSA’s telecommunications network infrastructure, including voice, data, cellular, and high‑speed internet access services. Id. at 1; see Agency Report (AR), Tab 4, TORP at 14953.[1] The scope of the required services was defined in a Statement of Work (SOW). TORP at 14893‑920. The solicitation contemplated the issuance of a single task order consisting of fixed‑price with economic price adjustment and time‑and‑materials contract line items. TORP at 14881. Award would be made on a best‑value tradeoff basis, considering price and three non‑price factors, listed in descending order of importance: technical approach; performance management; and past experience. Id. at 14952. When combined, the non‑price factors were more important than price. Id. For the technical approach factor, the TORP instructed offerors to address their proven capability to provide the SOW’s services, their proposed technical solution, their approach to modernization, their plan to improve or maintain performance and reliability, their information/cyber security solution, and the speed of their proposed broadband access. Id. at 14942‑43. The agency would evaluate this factor by “determin[ing] its level of confidence that the [o]fferor will successfully perform the requirements described in this solicitation,” based on the TORP’s instructions and the requirements of the SOW. Id. at 14954. For the performance management factor, the agency was to assess its confidence of successful performance based on the SOW requirements and the TORP’s instructions. Id. at 14955. Offerors were instructed to address, among other items, their approaches to network monitoring, risk management, and quality assurance, as well as their proposed staffing and organizational structure. Id. at 14943. For the past experience factor, the TORP instructed offerors to “provide three examples to describe [their] specific past experience conducting work of similar size, scope and complexity regarding the requirement in the SOW.” Id. at 14944.