IBM Corporation-IBM Consulting - Federal (FA8100-22-R-0002)

B-421471,B-421471.2,B-421471.3,B-421471.4 Jun 01, 2023 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights IBM Corporation, IBM Consulting--Federal, of Bethesda, Maryland, protests the Department of the Air Force's issuance of a task order to Accenture Federal Services, LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA8100-22-R-0002. The FOPR sought a contractor to provide all labor and supplies necessary to perform the one-time development and deployment of a localized on-site Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform to provide real-time remote monitoring of industrial plant equipment at the Oklahoma City--Air Logistics Complex. The protester argues that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee's technical proposal, that the solicitation contained latent ambiguities, that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee's price, that the agency conducted misleading discussions, and that the agency's best-value tradeoff analysis was flawed as a result of the associated errors. We sustain the protest in part and deny it in part. 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: IBM Corporation, IBM Consulting--Federal File: B-421471; B-421471.2; B-421471.3; B-421471.4 Date: June 1, 2023 David B. Robbins, Esq., Noah B. Bleicher, Esq., Moshe B. Broder, Esq., and Aime J. Joo, Esq., Jenner & Block, LLP, for the protester. Amy Laderberg O’Sullivan, Esq., Cherie J. Owen, Esq., James G. Peyster, Esq., and Issac D. Schabes, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, for Accenture Federal Services, LLC, the intervenor. Colonel Frank Yoon, Lawrence M. Anderson, Esq., and Michael A. Puzio, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Kenneth Kilgour, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protests that the agency unreasonably evaluated awardee’s technical proposal are denied where the evaluation was consistent with the solicitation and procurement law. 2. Protests that the solicitation was latently ambiguous are dismissed as untimely challenges to the terms of the solicitation, where the protester perceived a lack of clarity in the solicitation prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals. 3. Protests that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee’s proposed prices are dismissed, where the allegations were derivative of an untimely challenge to the solicitation terms, denied, where the evaluation was consistent with the solicitation and procurement law. 4. Protest challenging the agency’s price realism evaluation of the awardee’s proposed price is sustained where the record reflects that the agency’s evaluation failed to reasonably consider the protester’s price. 5. Protest that the agency engaged in misleading discussions is dismissed as untimely, where the allegation was asserted more than 10 days after the supplemental document production that provided the basis for the protest. DECISION IBM Corporation, IBM Consulting--Federal, of Bethesda, Maryland, protests the Department of the Air Force’s issuance of a task order to Accenture Federal Services, LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA8100-22-R-0002. The FOPR sought a contractor to provide all labor and supplies necessary to perform the one-time development and deployment of a localized on-site Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform to provide real-time remote monitoring of industrial plant equipment at the Oklahoma City--Air Logistics Complex. The protester argues that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee’s technical proposal, that the solicitation contained latent ambiguities, that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee’s price, that the agency conducted misleading discussions, and that the agency’s best-value tradeoff analysis was flawed as a result of the associated errors. We sustain the protest in part and deny it in part. BACKGROUND The Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) is one of six specialized centers assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command, a major command of the United States Air Force. AFSC is charged with maintaining and repairing the Air Force’s assets, including performing aircraft and engine overhauls and maintenance, landing gear overhauls, avionics repairs, and commodities repairs and manufacturing. Agency Report (AR), Tab 6, FOPR, attach. 1, Statement of Objectives (SOO) at 13. To address issues with its existing Operational Technology (OT) framework, AFSC seeks to establish the AFSC Technology Hosting Environment for NextGen Automation (ATHENA), an OT ecosystem that aims to “realize the benefits of a resilient and secure digital ecosystem,” and “leverage the unique benefits provided by connected devices and autonomous machinery.” Protest, exh.