Patriot Group International, Inc. (FA489024RCN02)

B-422969 Dec 20, 2024 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Culmen International, LLC, of Alexandria, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to PAE Applied Technologies LLC (Amentum), of Germantown, Maryland, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA4890-24-R-CN02. The Department of the Air Force issued the solicitation for services in support of counterdrug, counter organized crime, and counter-terrorism missions conducted by federal law enforcement agencies. The protester contends that the agency conducted misleading and coercive discussions, unreasonably evaluated the protester's proposal, and failed to conduct a proper best-value tradeoff analysis. 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: Culmen International, LLC File: B-422969 Date: December 20, 2024 Damien C. Specht, Esq., Sandeep N. Nandivada, Esq., Caitlin A. Crujido., Esq., and Roke Iko, Esq., Morrison & Foerster LLP, for the protester. Jason A. Carey, Esq., Jennifer K. Bentley, Esq., Moushmi Patil, Esq., and Catherine K. Wettach, Esq., Covington & Burling LLP, for PAE Applied Technologies LLC, the intervenor. Colonel Nina R. Padalino, Nicholas T. Iliff, Jr., Esq., Beatrice K. Foster, Esq., and Warner J. Worthan, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Jacob M. Talcott, Esq., and Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest alleging the agency’s discussions were misleading and coercive is denied where the agency addressed legitimate concerns in the protester’s proposal and provided the protester with an opportunity to address the concerns. 2. Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of proposals is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and in accordance with the terms of the solicitation. 3. Protest that the agency failed to conduct a proper best-value tradeoff analysis is denied where protester fails to demonstrate that the tradeoff was unreasonable. DECISION Culmen International, LLC, of Alexandria, Virginia, protests the issuance of a task order to PAE Applied Technologies LLC (Amentum), of Germantown, Maryland, under fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA4890‑24‑R‑CN02.[1] The Department of the Air Force issued the solicitation for services in support of counterdrug, counter organized crime, and counter-terrorism missions conducted by federal law enforcement agencies. The protester contends that the agency conducted misleading and coercive discussions, unreasonably evaluated the protester’s proposal, and failed to conduct a proper best‑value tradeoff analysis. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On April 15, 2024, the agency issued the solicitation in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) section 16.505 to the eight contract holders under the agency’s Counter Narcotics and Global Threats Operations, Logistics, and Training multiple award indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity (IDIQ) contract. Agency Report (AR) Tab 1, Contracting Officer’s Statement (COS) at 2; AR, Tab 3, FOPR at 264.[2] The solicitation contemplated the issuance of a fixed‑price, level‑of‑effort task order with a transition period of 4 months, a base period of 12 months, seven 12‑month option periods, and a 6‑month option to extend services. FOPR at 264‑265. The due date for proposals was May 15, 2024. Id. at 265. The solicitation provided for the evaluation of proposals based on the following evaluation factors: technical and price.[3] Id. at 269‑272. The technical factor consisted of the following two equally weighted subfactors: management/staffing and technical approach/mission understanding. Id. at 270-271. For the management/staffing subfactor, the solicitation required offerors to address two criteria. Id. For the first criterion, the solicitation required offerors to detail their process for recruiting, hiring, managing, and retaining the required personnel. Id. Specifically, the solicitation required offerors to describe (1) their plan for ensuring that fully qualified staff would be in place at the start of the base period, (2) their compensation packages and any incentives to minimize employee turnover, and (3) any risks to retention and their plan to mitigate those risks. Id. For the second criterion, the solicitation required offerors to provide their strategy for managing vacancies, notifying the agency of any imminent vacancies, and tracking and reporting personnel status information. Id. Offerors were also to describe their plan to mitigate personnel disruption and turnover. Id. For the technical approach/mission understanding subfactor, the solicitation required offerors to address three criteria. Id.