Amaze Technologies, LLC (FA877321R0008)

B-421002.2,B-421002.3,B-421002.4 May 08, 2023 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Amaze Technologies, LLC, of Fairfax, Virginia, protests the Department of the Air Force's issuance of a task order to STS Systems Support, LLC, of San Antonio, Texas, pursuant to fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA877321R8002, to provide information technology (IT) support services for the agency's cyber defense operations. Agency Report (AR), Tab 5, Initial FOPR at 1. Amaze challenges the agency's: determination that Amaze's proposed compensation for professional personnel was unrealistic; determination that STS's proposed price was reasonable; and evaluation of Amaze's and STS's technical proposals. 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: Amaze Technologies, LLC File: B-421002.2; B-421002.3; B-421002.4 Date: May 8, 2023 W. Brad English, Esq., Jon D. Levin, Esq., Emily J. Chancey, Esq., and Nicholas P. Greer, Esq., Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C., for the protester. Robert K. Tompkins, Esq., Hillary J. Freund, Esq., Kelsey M. Hayes, Esq., and Richard Ariel, Esq., Holland & Knight LLP, for STS Systems Support, LLC, the intervenor. Major Ashley M. Ruhe, Colonel Frank Yoon, Lieutenant Colonel Keric Clanahan, and Kent H. Grubb, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Glenn G. Wolcott, Esq., and Christina Sklarew, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Agency reasonably determined that protester’s proposed compensation for professional employees was unrealistic based on a comparison of protester’s proposed wage rates to the agency’s market research regarding rates for similar services. 2. Agency reasonably determined that awardee’s price was reasonable based on a comparison of awardee’s proposed price to market prices for similar services. DECISION Amaze Technologies, LLC, of Fairfax, Virginia, protests the Department of the Air Force’s issuance of a task order to STS Systems Support, LLC, of San Antonio, Texas, pursuant to fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA877321R8002,[1] to provide information technology (IT) support services for the agency’s cyber defense operations. Agency Report (AR), Tab 5, Initial FOPR at 1.[2] Amaze challenges the agency’s: determination that Amaze’s proposed compensation for professional personnel was unrealistic; determination that STS’s proposed price was reasonable; and evaluation of Amaze’s and STS’s technical proposals. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On January 25, 2021, pursuant to the procedures in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 16.5, the agency issued the FOPR to small business 8(a) firms holding General Services Administration (GSA) One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) contracts. The solicitation provided that the successful vendor will provide support to the Air Force with regard to “monitoring host computer and network activity to detect, identify, contain and respond to anomalous, suspicious and/or malicious events on the [Air Force’s] and supported unified commands’ systems and networks.” Id. at 20. The agency states that this procurement is a “follow-on requirement for what was formerly known as Defense Cyber Operations Missions (DCO Mission) and is now known as Defense Cyber Operation Hunt and Clear (DCO HAC),” adding that the requirements have “significantly evolved.” AR, Tab 1, Contracting Officer’s Statement at 2-3. As amended, the solicitation contemplated award of a fixed-price level-of-effort task order; identified various labor categories, along with estimated levels of effort, that would be required for task order performance;[3] provided that the source selection decision would be based on a best‑value tradeoff between two evaluation factors--technical[4] and price[5]; and provided instructions to vendors regarding their submission of separate technical and price proposals. AR, Tab 11, FOPR amend. 6 at 1; Tab 5, Initial FOPR at 3-10, 58-59. With regard to technical proposals, each vendor was directed to submit a labor matrix identifying the OASIS labor categories that corresponded to the labor categories identified in the solicitation and to “include a clear and comprehensive description of the staffing approach to meet the DCO HAC requirements consistent with the Technical Labor Matrix.” AR, Tab 5, Initial FOPR at 3, 67-70. With regard to price proposals, the solicitation incorporated FAR provision 52.222-46, Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees, which states: As part of their proposals, offerors will submit a total compensation plan setting forth the salaries and fringe benefits proposed for the professional employees who will work under the contract.