IDEMIA National Security Solutions, LLC (70RDAD22R00000001)

B-421418,B-421418.2 May 01, 2023 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights IDEMIA National Security Solutions, LLC (IDEMIA), of Alexandria, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Guidehouse LLP, of McLean, Virginia, issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RDAD22R00000001, for a department-wide identity enrollment system (IES) and credential management system (CMS) solution, along with technical services for those products. The protester challenges the agency's technical evaluation of proposals and source selection decision. We sustain 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: IDEMIA National Security Solutions, LLC File: B-421418; B-421418.2 Date: May 1, 2023 Kara L. Daniels, Esq., Stuart W. Turner, Esq., Amanda J. Sherwood, Esq., and Bryan R. Williamson, Esq., Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, for the protester. Brian G. Walsh, Esq., Tracye Winfrey Howard, Esq., Cara L. Sizemore, Esq., Sarah B. Hansen, Esq., and Jennifer Eve Retener, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP, for Guidehouse LLP, the intervenor. Matthew D. McKenzie, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Raymond Richards, Esq., and John Sorrenti, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest is sustained where a conceded error with respect to a weakness assessed to the protester’s proposal was competitively prejudicial. 2. Protest challenging the assessment of a significant weakness to the protester’s proposal is sustained where the contemporaneously documented reasoning for the significant weakness is contrary to the terms of the solicitation and the agency’s post‑protest position is inconsistent with the contemporaneous record. 3. Protest arguing that the agency was barred from making negative evaluation findings based on relevancy concerns under a factor considering offerors’ past performance is denied where the evaluation was conducted reasonably and in accordance with the terms of the solicitation. 4. Protest is denied where the agency did not apply an unstated evaluation criterion by finding significant risk associated with the protester’s approach based on that firm’s failure to demonstrate a certain capability during its oral presentation. 5. Protest grounds challenging a strength credited to the awardee as unreasonable and evidence of disparate treatment are denied where the challenges amount to disagreement with the agency’s judgment and fail to demonstrate the agency disparately evaluated proposals. DECISION IDEMIA National Security Solutions, LLC (IDEMIA), of Alexandria, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Guidehouse LLP, of McLean, Virginia, issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RDAD22R00000001, for a department‑wide identity enrollment system (IES) and credential management system (CMS) solution, along with technical services for those products. The protester challenges the agency’s technical evaluation of proposals and source selection decision. We sustain the protest. Background Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD‑12), Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors, was signed in response to the general threat of unauthorized physical access to federal facilities. Agency Report (AR), Tab 8a, HSPD-12. The directive created a policy to establish a mandatory, government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification issued by the federal government to federal employees and contractors. Id. The DHS HSPD‑12 program uses DHS personal identity verification (PIV) cards, as well as other DHS authorized credentials and services that facilitate trusted physical access and logical access to DHS controlled or leased facilities and information technology (IT) networks. AR, Tab 3c-2, RFP at 34. On February 22, 2022, DHS issued the RFP under the commercial products and services procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 12 in conjunction with the negotiated contracting procedures of FAR part 15. AR, Tab 2, Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 2; RFP at 3. The RFP sought proposals for DHS’s HSPD‑12 identity management system technology refresh project (TRP), which would include delivery of an HSPD‑12 compliant IES and CMS solution, as well as delivery of subject matter expertise and technical services. Id. at 3‑4. The RFP contemplated the award of a single indefinite‑delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a 1‑year base period and nine 1‑year option periods. Id. at 4, 28. Orders issued under the resulting IDIQ will be on a fixed-price, labor-hour, or time‑and‑materials basis. Id.