Obsidian Solutions Federal Services, LLC (HHM402-23-Q-0002)

B-421651 Jul 24, 2023 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Obsidian Federal Solutions Group, LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business of Fredericksburg, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. HHM402-23-Q-0002. The Department of Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued the RFQ for risk assessment labor services at the DIA Directorate of Logistics and Global Readiness, Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Program Office (PO). The protester argues that the best-value tradeoff was unreasonable. 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: Obsidian Solutions Federal Services, LLC File: B-421651 Date: July 24, 2023 Milton C. Johns, Esq., Executive Law Partners, PLLC, for the protester. Lieutenant Colonel Jason R. Hull, Max D. Houtz, Esq., Darren S. Gilkes, Esq., William Whitman, Esq., and James Durkee, Esq., Defense Intelligence Agency, for the agency. Jacob M. Talcott, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Agency’s selection of a higher-rated, higher-priced proposal for issuance of a task order is unobjectionable where the agency’s best-value tradeoff decision was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. DECISION Obsidian Federal Solutions Group, LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business of Fredericksburg, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. HHM402‑23‑Q-0002. The Department of Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued the RFQ for risk assessment labor services at the DIA Directorate of Logistics and Global Readiness, Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Program Office (PO). The protester argues that the best-value tradeoff was unreasonable. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On December 5, 2022, the agency issued the solicitation to small business vendors under the General Services Administration’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS), multiple-award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract in accordance with the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) section 16.505. Agency Report (AR), Tab 4, RFQ at 1, 26; AR, Tab 1, Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 1‑2. The solicitation anticipated the issuance of a fixed-price labor-hour task order for a 1-year base period, four 12-month option periods, and one 6-month option to extend services in accordance with FAR clause 52.217‑8. RFQ at 26. The due date for receipt of quotations was January 11, 2023. Id. at 30. The solicitation provided for the submission of quotations in three volumes: (1) facility security clearance status, (2) technical and management approach, and (3) cost/price. Id. at 28‑30. The technical and management approach consisted of three sub-factors: (1) program management plan, (2) staffing plan, and (3) transition plan. Id. at 29. For the program management plan, vendors were to detail their ability to manage SCRM labor support, time constraints, cost factors, and subcontractor personnel. Id. For the staffing plan, vendors were to demonstrate their ability to recruit and retain qualified candidates for the required labor categories. Id. For the transition plan, vendors were to provide their proposed transition metrics as well as a plan for managing the transition, identifying and mitigating transition risks. Id. The solicitation provided for the evaluation of quotations based on the following factors: (1) facility security clearance status, which was evaluated on a pass/fail basis, (2) technical and management approach, and (3) cost/price. Id. at 31. To determine the overall technical rating for the technical and management approach factor, the solicitation provided for a combined technical/risk rating, which consisted of the risks associated with the proposed technical solution as well as any significant strengths, strengths, weaknesses, significant weaknesses, or deficiencies in the solution.[1] Id. at 32. Quotations would receive a rating of outstanding, good, acceptable, marginal, or unacceptable under this factor.[2] Id. at 32‑33. The agency then would issue a task order following a best-value tradeoff where the non-price factors, when combined, were significantly more important than cost/price. Id. at 31. The agency received eight timely quotations, including quotations from Obsidian and Cherokee. COS at 3.