Quantech Services, Inc. (47QFPA24R0001)

B-422624.10 Jun 05, 2025 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Quantech Services, Inc., a small business located in Lexington, Massachusetts, protests the issuance of a task order to Credence Management Solutions, LLC, a small business located in McLean, Virginia, under task order request for proposal (TOR) No. 47QFPA24R0001, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), Federal Acquisition Service, on behalf of the United States Space Force, Space Systems Command (SSC), for command staff support services. The protester challenges the agency's evaluation of the awardee's proposed professional employee compensation plan. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of: Quantech Services, Inc. File: B-422624.10 Date: June 5, 2025 John R. Prairie, Esq., Cara L. Sizemore, Esq., and Jonathan C. Clark, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP, for the protester. J. Scott Hommer, III, Esq., Taylor M. Sorrells, Esq., Christopher G. Griesedieck, Jr., Esq., and David L.W. Smith, Esq., Venable, LLP, for Credence Management Solutions, LLC, the intervenor. Gavin Painter, Esq., and Andrew Sinn, Esq., General Services Administration, for the agency. Heather Weiner, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of the awardee’s professional employee compensation plan is denied because the record demonstrates that the agency’s evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation and the requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation provision 52.222-46. DECISION Quantech Services, Inc., a small business located in Lexington, Massachusetts, protests the issuance of a task order to Credence Management Solutions, LLC, a small business located in McLean, Virginia, under task order request for proposal (TOR) No. 47QFPA24R0001, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), Federal Acquisition Service, on behalf of the United States Space Force, Space Systems Command (SSC), for command staff support services. The protester challenges the agency’s evaluation of the awardee’s proposed professional employee compensation plan. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND GSA issued the TOR on January 30, 2024, under the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 16.5, to holders of GSA’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) small business indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract pool 5B.[1] Agency Report (AR), Tab 2, TOR amend. 0009 (hereinafter TOR) at 3; Contracting Officer's Statement (COS) at 1. The solicitation contemplated the issuance of a task order, using cost-plus-fixed-fee contract line item numbers (CLINs) for the two main CLINs and cost-reimbursable (no fee) CLINs for other direct costs and the contract access fee, with a 12-month base period and four 1‑year option periods. TOR at 4. The agency sought proposals for advisory and assistance services to the SSC, to include acquisition, financial, and administrative capabilities to execute effective and responsive integrated program management of space-related research, development, production, and lifecycle acquisition activities. Id. at 5. The solicitation provided for the evaluation of proposals based on three factors: quality control plan (to be evaluated on a pass/fail basis), technical capability, and cost/price. Id. at 61. Award was to be made on a best-value tradeoff basis considering the latter two factors, in descending order of importance. Id. at 60. The technical capability factor included the following two elements: task order management plan and contractor experience with command staff support requirements.[2] Id. at 62-64. As relevant here, the TOR included FAR provision 52.222‑46. Id. at 44. After the initial evaluation of proposals, in May 2024, GSA selected Credence for award. COS at 3. Thereafter, another unsuccessful offeror filed a protest at GAO. In response, the agency notified our Office of its decision to take corrective action to reevaluate proposals and make a new award decision. Tecolote Rsch., Inc., B-422624, June 20, 2024 (unpublished). As a result, our Office dismissed the protest as academic. Id. Upon completion of the reevaluation, the agency assigned the following overall ratings to the proposals of Quantech and Credence:[3]   QUANTECH CREDENCE Technical Capability Acceptable Good Total Evaluated Cost/Price $282,219,685 $221,811,016 AR, Tab 10, Award Decision Memorandum (ADM) at 54.[4] The contracting officer noted that both offerors received multiple strengths under the technical capability factor. Id. at 56. For the task order management plan element, the contracting officer noted that Quantech received a significant weakness; the agency did not find any weaknesses in Credence’s technical approach. Id.