Comprehensive Health Services, LLC (140D0422R0006)

B-421108.4,B-421108.5 May 17, 2023 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Comprehensive Health Services, LLC (CHS), of Cape Canaveral, Florida, protests the award of a contract to The Providencia Group, LLC (TPG), of Ashburn, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 140D0422R0006, issued by the Department of Interior for unaccompanied children sponsor support services. CHS argues that the agency misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable source selection decision. CHS also argues that TPG has one or more organizational conflicts of interest. 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: Comprehensive Health Services, LLC File: B-421108.4; B-421108.5 Date: May 17, 2023 Elizabeth N. Jochum, Esq., and Samarth Barot, Esq., Blank Rome, LLP, for the protester. Michael F. Mason, Esq., Stacy M. Hadeka, Esq., Christine Reynolds, Esq., Taylor Hillman, Esq., and Lauren Olmsted, Esq., Hogan Lovells US LLP, for The Providencia Group, LLC, an intervenor. William B. Blake, Esq., Department of the Interior, for the agency. Scott H. Riback, Esq., and Tania Calhoun, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest challenging agency’s evaluation of proposals and source selection decision is denied where the record shows that the agency’s evaluation and selection decision were in accordance with the terms of the solicitation and applicable statutes and regulations. 2. Allegation that awardee has one or more impermissible organizational conflicts of interest is denied where the record shows that the agency thoroughly investigated the question and reasonably determined that no conflicts exist. DECISION Comprehensive Health Services, LLC (CHS), of Cape Canaveral, Florida, protests the award of a contract to The Providencia Group, LLC (TPG), of Ashburn, Virginia, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 140D0422R0006, issued by the Department of Interior for unaccompanied children sponsor support services. CHS argues that the agency misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable source selection decision. CHS also argues that TPG has one or more organizational conflicts of interest. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND This is the second occasion where the propriety of the agency’s actions in connection with this acquisition have been protested. In September 2022, the agency awarded a contract for this requirement to TPG. In the wake of that award decision, three firms, including CHS, filed protests with our Office challenging the propriety of that selection decision for a variety of reasons. Prior to the deadlines for responding substantively to those protests, the agency advised our Office that it intended to take corrective action, and we dismissed all three protests as academic. Comprehensive Health Services, LLC, B‑421108, Oct. 28, 2022 (unpublished decision); ICF Incorporated, LLC, B‑421108.2, Oct. 28, 2022 (unpublished decision); Cherokee Nation Solutions, LLC, B‑421108.3, Oct. 28, 2022 (unpublished decision). Thereafter, the agency engaged in corrective action activities and again selected TPG for award. CHS’s current protest follows the agency’s latest selection decision. The RFP contemplates the award, on a best-value tradeoff basis, of a hybrid fixed-price, labor-hours contract for a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods. The sponsor services at issue are to provide the agency’s office of refugee resettlement all activities necessary to safely unify unaccompanied children that have been taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security with a suitable sponsor in an efficient and timely manner, including sponsor identification, vetting, suitability assessment, and recommendation for placement with the sponsor. The RFP advised firms that the agency would evaluate proposals considering price and several non-price considerations. The evaluation criteria, listed in descending order of importance, were: organizational experience; personnel qualifications; management and technical approach; past performance; socioeconomic status; and price.[1] RFP at 10.[2] In response to the solicitation, the agency received a number of proposals. The agency evaluated the proposals and made an initial selection of TPG. As noted, that selection decision was protested by three firms, and the agency elected to take corrective action in response to those protests. In performing its corrective action, the agency engaged in limited discussions with, and reevaluated the proposals of, the three firms that had filed protests, along with TPG.