Horizon Industries, Ltd. (70RTAC22R00000003)

B-421663,B-421663.2,B-421663.3,B-421663.4 Aug 10, 2023 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Horizon Industries, Ltd., a small business of Vienna, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Candor Solutions LLC, a small business of Huntsville, Alabama, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RTAC22R00000003 issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for information technology (IT) services. The protester challenges the agency's evaluation of proposals and resulting source selection decision. 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 version has been approved for public release. Decision Matter of: Horizon Industries, Ltd. File: B-421663; B-421663.2; B-421663.3; B-421663.4 Date: August 10, 2023 Daniel Strouse, Esq., John J. O’Brien, Esq., and Jason W. Moy, Esq., Cordatis LLP, for the protester. Emily J. Chancey, Esq., W. Brad English, Esq., Jon D. Levin, Esq., and Nicholas P. Greer, Esq., Maynard Nexsen, P.C., for Candor Solutions LLC, the intervenor. Brian C. Habib, Esq., and Paul B. Oman, Esq., Department of Homeland Security, for the agency. Heather Self, Esq., and Peter H. Tran, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest challenging evaluation of the protester’s proposed key personnel and resulting finding of ineligibility for award is denied because the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation. 2. Protest challenging evaluation of the awardee’s proposal is dismissed because the protester is not an interested party to raise the challenge where its own proposal reasonably was found ineligible for award. DECISION Horizon Industries, Ltd., a small business of Vienna, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to Candor Solutions LLC, a small business of Huntsville, Alabama, under request for proposals (RFP) No. 70RTAC22R00000003 issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for information technology (IT) services. The protester challenges the agency’s evaluation of proposals and resulting source selection decision. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On March 9, 2022, using the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 16.5, the agency issued the solicitation to small business holders of indefinite‑delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts under the National Institutes of Health’s Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 3 governmentwide acquisition contract vehicle. Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 3; Agency Report (AR) Tab 13a, RFP at 1, 32.[1] The solicitation sought proposals for the provision of a “comprehensive IT asset management program.” RFP at 7. The solicitation defined “IT assets” as including “laptops/Desktops and Peripherals, Monitors, Toner and Mobile Devices.” Id. at 6. The contractor will be responsible for performing services such as program management, asset receiving, asset storage (including contractor provision of a storage warehouse), asset handling/issuance, asset transportation/delivery, asset tracking, and asset disposal and reuse. Id. at 7, 14. The solicitation anticipated award of a single time-and-materials task order on a best‑value tradeoff basis considering price and the following non-price factors: (1) management; and (2) technical-warehouse operations. RFP at 32, 41-42. The management factor was more important than the technical-warehouse operations factor, and the two non-price factors combined were more important than price. Id. at 41. As relevant here, the management factor consisted of six “areas” of consideration, one of which was key personnel. Id. at 38-40. For the non-price factors, the agency assigned adjectival ratings of high confidence, some confidence, or low confidence. AR, Tab 17, Best-Value Report at 8. The agency received five proposals, including those submitted by the protester and awardee. COS at 5. The agency evaluated the protester’s and awardee’s proposals as follows:   Horizon Candor Management Factor Low Confidence Some Confidence Technical-Warehouse Operations Factor Some Confidence Some Confidence Price $20,706,846.50 $18,015,350.45[2]   AR, Tab 17, Best-Value Report at 24. Based on the evaluation results and a comparative assessment of proposals, the source selection official (SSO) selected Candor’s higher‑rated, lower‑priced proposal for award. AR, Tab 18, Source Selection Decision at 12. Following notification of the award decision and receipt of a debriefing, Horizon, the incumbent contractor, filed this protest with our Office.