Alliant Health Solutions, Inc. (75FCMC25RJ019)

B-423598,B-423598.2 Sep 12, 2025 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Alliant Health Solutions, Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia, protests the award of a task order to Health Quality Innovators (HQI), of Henrico, Virginia, under Task Order Request for Proposal (TORP) No. 75FCMC25RJ019, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for the agency's Region 3, Quality Improvement Network-Quality Improvement Organization ("QIN-QIO") program. Alliant contends that CMS misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable 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: Alliant Health Solutions, Inc. File: B-423598; B-423598.2 Date: September 12, 2025 David B. Dixon, Esq., Meghan D. Doherty, Esq., Toghrul Shukurlu, Esq., and Aleksey R. Dabbs, Esq., Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, for the protester. Alexander J. Brittin, Esq., Brittin Law Group, PLLC, and Mary Pat Buckenmeyer, Esq., Ward & Berry PLLC, for Health Quality Innovators, the intervenor. Brandon Dell'Aglio, Esq., and Linda Santiago, Esq, Department of Health and Human Services, for the agency. Todd C. Culliton, Esq., and Tania Calhoun, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest that the agency unfairly amended the solicitation only for the awardee when it removed requirements during exchanges the agency held only with the awardee is denied where the protester failed to show that it would have altered its proposal had it known of the agency's changed requirement. 2. Protest that the agency unreasonably investigated an alleged impaired objectivity organizational conflict of interest is denied where the record did not contain clear evidence showing that the investigation was unreasonable. 3. Protest that the agency unreasonably evaluated the awardee's professional employee compensation plan is denied where the record shows that the agency assessed the realism of the awardee's labor rates and fringe benefits and effect on recruitment and retention. 4. Protest that the agency unreasonably conducted its cost realism evaluation is denied where the record shows that the agency determined that the majority of the proposed rates reflected actual employee salary data, and that all proposed rates were comparable to General Services Administration benchmark rates. 5. Protest that the awardee unreasonably failed to provide a copy of its subcontractor agreement as required by the solicitation is denied where the record shows that the awardee provided a copy of a negotiation memorandum which included all information needed to evaluate the proposal. 6. Protest that the agency unreasonably evaluated the protester's technical proposal is denied where the record shows that the agency reasonably concluded that the protester failed to respond adequately to a scenario question. 7. Protest that the agency unreasonably established the competitive range is denied where the record shows that the agency reasonably compared the underlying merit of the competing proposals. DECISION Alliant Health Solutions, Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia, protests the award of a task order to Health Quality Innovators (HQI), of Henrico, Virginia, under Task Order Request for Proposal (TORP) No. 75FCMC25RJ019, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for the agency's Region 3, Quality Improvement Network-Quality Improvement Organization (“QIN-QIO”) program. Alliant contends that CMS misevaluated proposals and made an unreasonable selection decision. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On July 25, 2024, CMS issued the TORP under the agency's Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC) indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts to procure expert healthcare quality improvement services. Agency Report (AR), Tab 2.1, TORP at 1; Contracting Officer's Statement (COS) at 1-3.[1] The selected contractor would be responsible for executing a broad initiative to engage Medicare practitioners and providers, and to improve the quality of healthcare services delivered to beneficiaries in accordance with the agency's objectives. AR, Tab 2.2, TORP, Statement of Work (SOW) at 6-7. Using the procedures set forth under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 16.5, the TORP contemplated the award of a cost‑plus‑fixed‑fee task order to be performed over a 5-year period. TORP at 1; COS at 3; AR, Tab 2.4, TORP, Instructions and Evaluation Criteria (IEC) at 1.[2] Award would be made on a best-value tradeoff basis considering technical and cost factors. AR, Tab 2.4, TORP, IEC at 1. The technical factor was considered approximately equal to the cost factor.