Amentum Services, Inc. (N00421-22-R-0006)

B-422207.3,B-422207.4 Jul 03, 2024 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Amentum Services, Inc., of Chantilly, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Vertex Aerospace, LLC, of Madison, Mississippi, under request for proposals (RFP) No. N0042122R0006, issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, for performance-based contractor logistics support services for F-5N/F aircraft at various installations. The protester primarily contends that the agency's evaluation of its past performance and technical volumes was unreasonable, that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee's past performance and price volumes, that the agency's best-value tradeoff decision was flawed, and that the agency's conflict of interest investigation with respect to the awardee was unreasonable. We deny the protest. View Decision 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. Matter of: Amentum Services, Inc. File: B-422207.3; B-422207.4 Date: July 3, 2024 Kevin P. Connelly, Esq., Kelly E. Buroker, Esq., Jeffrey M. Lowry, Esq., and Michael P. Ols, Esq., Vedder Price P.C., for the protester. J. Alex Ward, Esq., James A. Tucker, Esq., Victoria Dalcourt Angle, Esq., and Liam M. Bowers, Esq., Morrison & Foerster LLP, for Vertex Aerospace, LLC, the intervenor. Jason B. Nelson, Esq., Morgan E. Gierhart, Esq., Tyler L. Whitney, Esq., and Andrew R. Munster, Esq., Department of the Navy, for the agency. Michael P. Price, Esq., and John Sorrenti, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest alleging the evaluation of offerors' past performance was unreasonable is denied where the record demonstrates the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. 2. Protest challenging the evaluation of the protester's technical approach is denied where the agency adequately documented its evaluation conclusions, and otherwise provided sufficient explanation of its decision not to assess strengths to the protester's technical approach. 3. Protest challenging the price realism analysis of the awardee's proposal is denied where the agency reasonably determined the awardee's proposed prices were consistent with, and would enable execution of, the awardee's proposed technical approach. 4. Protest challenging the best-value tradeoff determination is denied where the record demonstrates the agency performed a reasonable tradeoff analysis under the challenged evaluation criteria, and where the protester's argument is otherwise based on challenges to the underlying evaluation. 5. Protester's allegation of a conflict of interest based on the hiring of a former agency official by the awardee's subcontractor is denied where the record demonstrates the official began working with the subcontractor after proposals were submitted, and therefore had no input into the awardee's approach or pricing. DECISION Amentum Services, Inc., of Chantilly, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Vertex Aerospace, LLC, of Madison, Mississippi, under request for proposals (RFP) No. N0042122R0006, issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, for performance-based contractor logistics support services for F-5N/F aircraft at various installations. The protester primarily contends that the agency's evaluation of its past performance and technical volumes was unreasonable, that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee's past performance and price volumes, that the agency's best-value tradeoff decision was flawed, and that the agency's conflict of interest investigation with respect to the awardee was unreasonable. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The Navy issued the solicitation on September 13, 2022, pursuant to the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 15, seeking proposals for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance and contractor logistics support services for the Navy's F-5 adversary aircraft. Agency Report (AR), Tab 12, RFP at 1, 148; Contracting Officer's Statement and Memorandum of Law (COS/MOL) at 4.[1] The required maintenance and logistics support services will be performed at four primary sites: Yuma, Arizona; New Orleans, Louisiana; Key West, Florida; and Beaufort, South Carolina.[2] COS/MOL at 56. The agency anticipated awarding a single indefinitedelivery, indefinitequantity (IDIQ) contract with an ordering period of 5 years, and a single 3year option.