Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, Inc. (N0018924R3085)

B-423376,B-423376.2,B-423376.3 Jun 12, 2025 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, Inc., of San Diego, California, protests the issuance of a task order to Salient CRGT, Inc., of Fairfax, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. N0018924R3085, issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Supply Systems Command, for educational support services and logistical support services for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) at multiple locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Kratos contends that the Navy misevaluated quotations and made an unreasonable source selection decision. 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: Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, Inc. File: B-423376; B-423376.2; B-423376.3 Date: June 12, 2025 John R. Prairie, Esq., Cara L. Sizemore, Esq., and Vaibhavi Patria, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP; and J. Daniel Puckett, Esq., Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, Inc., for the protester. James Y. Boland, Esq., Taylor M. Sorrells, Esq., and Emily R. Marcy, Esq., Venable LLP, for Salient CRGT, Inc., the intervenor. Tabia J. Cole, Esq., and James J. Gross, Esq., Department of the Navy, for the agency. Paul N. Wengert, Esq., and Tania Calhoun, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest that agency misevaluated quotations and made an unreasonable source selection decision to issue task order to higher-rated and higher-cost vendor is denied where the record shows the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with law, regulation, and the terms of the solicitation. DECISION Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, Inc., of San Diego, California, protests the issuance of a task order to Salient CRGT, Inc., of Fairfax, Virginia, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. N0018924R3085, issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Supply Systems Command, for educational support services and logistical support services for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) at multiple locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Kratos contends that the Navy misevaluated quotations and made an unreasonable source selection decision. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The Navy issued the RFQ on July 25, 2024, to firms holding the Navy's SeaPort Next Generation multiple-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts, and designated the procurement a fair opportunity competition pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) section 16.505(b). Agency Report (AR), Tab 1, RFQ amend. 3 at 5.[1] The RFQ contemplated the issuance of a cost-plus-fixed-fee task order for a base year and four option years, plus an option for 15 days of demobilization services to facilitate a transition to a successor contractor. AR, Tab 1, RFQ at 52. The RFQ incorporated a performance work statement (PWS) that described the scope of the task order as assisting the Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) by providing RSNF support services that would include training and education, engineering, technical, and management support. Id. at 16. These services are to focus on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of directly supporting “the RSNF's objective to remain the dominant Naval Force within the Middle East,” and are to include support for “all levels of in-Kingdom RSNF training and other logistical and advisory support.” Id. The RFQ provided for quotations[2] to be evaluated under three factors. The first, performance approach, was more important than the second, past performance, and together those were more important than the third, cost. RFQ at 51. The successful vendor would be selected using a best value tradeoff among those factors. Id. For the performance approach factor, the RFQ instructed vendors to describe the firm's approach only under five specific PWS task elements, four of which are relevant here: · PWS 1.1.2, which required the vendor to manage teams of task order support personnel at multiple geographically dispersed locations. · PWS 2.1.1.1, which required the vendor to “[a]ssist the RSNF in the establishment of a central Curriculum Management organization within the Learning Education Center in Riyadh with a focus on Learning Standards and Quality Control.” · PWS 2.1.1.3, which required the vendor to “perform annual analysis of the state of the RSNF Curriculum Management process and provide results and recommendation of Short (12/24 month) and Long (3‑5 year) term goals,” and then deliver a report with the results. · PWS 5, which required the vendor to offer a program “to hire Saudi Arabian Nationals . . .