Inflowlogistics LLC

B-422811.3 Jan 20, 2026 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Inflowlogistics, LLC (Inflow), a small business of San Antonio, Texas, protests the issuance of a task order to Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC (CNSP), a small business of Tulsa, Oklahoma, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA8773-24-F-0003, issued by the Department of the Air Force for training intelligence plans and exercise support for cyber readiness operations and weapons and tactics network defensive operations (also known as TRIPLECROWN II) at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. The protester contends that the agency unreasonably evaluated its technical proposal and CNSP's professional employee compensation, engaged in unequal discussions, and performed a flawed best-value tradeoff. 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: Inflowlogistics LLC File: B-422811.3 Date: January 20, 2026 John E. McCarthy Jr., Esq., Zachary H. Schroeder, Esq., and Issac D. Schabes, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, for the protester. Katherine B. Burrows, Esq., Eric A. Valle, Esq., Josephine R. Farinelli, Esq., and Kelly A. Kirchgasser, Esq., Piliero Mazza, PLLC, for Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC, the intervenor. Colonel Justin A. Silverman, Isabelle P. Cutting, Esq., and Aaron J. Weaver, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Charmaine A. Stevenson, Esq., and John Sorrenti, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest challenging the agency's technical evaluation of the protester's proposal is denied where the record demonstrates the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation. 2. Protest challenging the agency's realism analysis of the awardee's professional employee compensation is denied where the record shows that the agency reasonably determined the proposed labor rates did not pose a significant risk to performance and reasonably used a market rate to evaluate proposed rates when the incumbent rate for a changed labor category was unreliably high. 3. Protest that the agency engaged in unequal discussions by engaging in interchanges with only one offeror is dismissed as an untimely challenge to terms of the solicitation where the solicitation expressly stated that the agency intended to make award without engaging in interchanges but reserved the right to engage in interchanges with only one, some, or all offerors. 4. Protest challenging the best-value tradeoff is denied where the record shows that the selection decision was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation. DECISION Inflowlogistics, LLC (Inflow), a small business of San Antonio, Texas, protests the issuance of a task order to Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC (CNSP), a small business of Tulsa, Oklahoma, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA8773-24-F-0003, issued by the Department of the Air Force for training intelligence plans and exercise support for cyber readiness operations and weapons and tactics network defensive operations (also known as TRIPLECROWN II) at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. The protester contends that the agency unreasonably evaluated its technical proposal and CNSP's professional employee compensation, engaged in unequal discussions, and performed a flawed best-value tradeoff. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The agency issued the FOPR on November 7, 2023, to small business pool 1 contract holders of the General Services Administration's (GSA) One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) governmentwide area contracts. Agency Report (AR), Tab 3, FOPR at 1.[1] The Air Force has a continuing requirement for offensive and defensive cyber operations, supporting defensive cyberspace operations and defensive global information grid operations missions for the 688 Cyberspace Wing (CW), 16th Air Force Commander, under the Air Combat Command. Contracting Officer's Statement (COS) at 2; AR, Tab 4, FOPR attach. 1, Performance Work Statement (PWS) at 4. The FOPR required that the contractor provide essential skills and capabilities in 10 critical functional areas: operations training analysis, weapons and tactics analysis, intelligence analysis, operations planning analysis, exercise analysis, range management analysis, scenario development analysis, administrative support, readiness operations analysis, and standardization and evaluation (S&E) analysis. PWS at 4. The FOPR contemplated issuance of a hybrid fixed-price and cost-reimbursement task order with a period of performance consisting of a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods.