McDonald & Eudy Printers, Inc. (Jacket-428718)

B-422677,B-422678 Sep 30, 2024 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights McDonald & Eudy Printers, Inc., (M&E) of Temple Hills, Maryland, protests the Government Publishing Office's (GPO) rejection of the small purchase price quotations it submitted in response to two solicitations--Jacket No. 428-718 R-1 and Jacket No. 428-720--for small purchase orders to produce books for the Smithsonian Institution. M&E challenges the agency's determination that the printers on which its price quotations were based did not meet the solicitations' requirements. We deny the protests. View Decision Decision Matter of: McDonald & Eudy Printers, Inc. File: B-422677; B-422678 Date: September 30, 2024 Anthony W. Hawks, Esq., Anthony W. Hawks Law Office, for the protester. James Goodman, III, Esq., Government Publishing Office, for the agency. April Y. Shields, Esq., Glenn G. Wolcott, Esq., and Christina Sklarew, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protests challenging rejection of quotations are denied where the agency reasonably determined that the equipment with which the protester intended to perform the work did not comply with the requirements of the solicitations. DECISION McDonald & Eudy Printers, Inc., (M&E) of Temple Hills, Maryland, protests the Government Publishing Office’s (GPO) rejection of the small purchase price quotations it submitted in response to two solicitations[1]--Jacket No. 428-718 R-1 and Jacket No. 428-720--for small purchase orders to produce books for the Smithsonian Institution. M&E challenges the agency’s determination that the printers on which its price quotations were based did not meet the solicitations’ requirements. We deny the protests. BACKGROUND The agency issued the two solicitations for small purchase orders for “perfect bound books” to be produced and delivered according to certain specifications.[2] Of relevance here, the solicitations provided that the books “may be produced via conventional offset or digital printing” but warned: Resolution that is enhanced or simulated by software will not be acceptable. NOTE: Contractor must produce the entire job either conventional offset or digital printing; split production methods are not acceptable without prior approval. Agency Report (AR), B‑422677, Jacket No. 428-718 R‑1 at 2; AR, B-422678, Jacket No. 428-720 at 2. The solicitations instructed vendors to submit price quotations using GPO’s online quotation system, “Quick Quote,” and further provided that, “[p]rior to award, contractor may be required to provide information related to specific equipment that will be used for production.” AR, B‑422677, Jacket No. 428-718 R-1 at 7; AR, B‑422678, Jacket No. 428-720 at 7. On or before the June 7, 2024, closing date for the solicitations, the agency received multiple quotations. For the first solicitation, M&E submitted the lowest-priced quotation. COS, B-422677 at 1; AR, B-422677, Exh. B, Bid Abstract. For the second solicitation, M&E’s quotation was the lowest-priced after the agency rejected another, lower-priced quotation. COS, B-422678 at 1; AR, B‑422678, Exh. B, Bid Abstract. From June 7 to June 10, prior to making its award decision, the agency conducted a “review and confirm” of M&E’s quotations, during which the agency and M&E exchanged several emails. The agency asked M&E to confirm if it was “printing digital or offset” and, “if digital, supply make/model of press.” AR, B-422677, Exh. C, Review and Confirm Email Thread at 3; AR, B-422678, Exh. D, Review and Confirm Email Thread at 3. In a series of email responses, M&E provided the makes/models of what it called two “digital printers”--a RICOH 8320 printer and a RICOH C9200 printer.[3] M&E also attached detailed printer specifications about the two printers, for the agency’s consideration. See AR, B‑422677, Exh. C, Review and Confirm Email Thread at 1; AR, B‑422677, Exh. D, M&E Confirming Typo in Review and Confirm Email at 1; AR, B‑422678, Exh. D, Review and Confirm Email Thread at 1‑3; see also AR, B‑422677, Exh. E, RICOH Pro Series 8320 Specs; AR, B‑422678, Exh. G, RICOH Pro Series C9200 Specs. The agency reviewed the information provided by M&E and noted that the printer specifications for each digital printer model indicated resolution with certain imaging technology. Specifically, for the first printer model, RICOH 8320, the specifications stated the use of “2400 x 4800 dpi [dots per inch] VSCEL [vertical cavity surface emitting laser] Imaging Technology.” AR, B‑422677, Exh. E, RICOH Pro Series 8320 Specs at 2. For the second printer model, RICOH C9200, the specifications stated the use of “2400 x 4800 dpi resolution with VCSEL Technology.” AR, B‑422678, Exh. G, RICOH Pro Series C9200 Specs at 2.