Alpha Safe and Vault, Inc.

B-423834.2 Feb 04, 2026 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Alpha Safe and Vault, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. 47QSSC-25-R-3040N, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) for GSA-approved security containers. Alpha argues that the RFP unreasonably uses acquisition procedures for commercial products, and that the solicitation contains ambiguous terms. We deny the protest. View Decision Decision Matter of: Alpha Safe and Vault, Inc. File: B-423834.2 Date: February 4, 2026 Katherine Levy for the protester. Michael C. Evans, Esq., General Services Administration, 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 unreasonably determined that goods to be procured qualified as commercial products is denied where the agency had previously purchased the goods as commercial products, and the market research dictated that the goods were consistent with the definition of “commercial product” set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation section 2.101. 2. Protest that the solicitation includes an unreasonable liquidated damages clause is denied where the protester failed to foreclose the possibility that the clause represented a reasonable forecast of damages. 3. Protest that the solicitation contains ambiguous or conflicting terms and specifications is denied where the record does not support the allegations. DECISION Alpha Safe and Vault, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. 47QSSC-25-R-3040N, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) for GSA-approved security containers. Alpha argues that the RFP unreasonably uses acquisition procedures for commercial products, and that the solicitation contains ambiguous terms. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The GSA-Approved Container Program supplies federal government customers with security containers and vault and armory doors, which are used to store classified documents, component materials, munitions, arms, explosives, funds, valuables, and other weapons. Contracting Officer's Statement (COS) at 1. Manufacturers seeking to supply these containers or vault/armory doors must have their products tested against GSA requirements. Id. at 2. Acceptable products are then placed on a qualified products list (QPL). Id. On October 24, 2025, GSA issued the solicitation using the policies and procedures set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and FAR part 15, Contracting by Negotiation, to procure GSA-approved security containers and vault/armory doors. AR, Tab 2, RFP at 2. The RFP contemplates the award of multiple fixed-price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts to be performed over a 1‑year base period and four 1-year option periods. Id. at 4-5, 102. The combined ceiling value for all orders placed under the contracts is $300 million. Id. at 9. Competition was restricted to manufacturers with products on the QPL. RFP at 4. The RFP provided a list of 1,024 supplies identified by national stock number (NSN) and manufacturer. Id. at 8; RFP, attach. 2, Item Purchase Description (IPD). Each NSN is assigned a contract line item number (CLIN) and contracts will be awarded on an item‑by-item basis. RFP at 8; see also RFP, exh. 1, Contractor Response Document Spreadsheet (CRDS). In other words, “[t]he government is seeking quotes on 1,024 CLINs in which only the nine QPL approved [original equipment manufacturers (OEM)] are eligible for award under the solicitation.” COS at 5. When submitting a proposal, the RFP instructs offerors to complete a standard form 33 (SF-33) and provide all requisite administrative information. RFP at 96. Offerors are instructed to use the CRDS to provide pricing information (freight on board (FOB) origin, freight pre-paid unit prices) for all NSNs that each manufacturer seeks to sell to the federal government. Id. at 97. Offerors are instructed to submit drawings for each NSN quoted. Id. at 11. The RFP contemplates a three-phase evaluation process. RFP at 103. During phase 1-administrative compliance, GSA will evaluate proposals as responsive or unresponsive based on whether all administrative, product, and pricing information was submitted and complete. Id. at 105-106. During phase 2-technical capability, the agency will evaluate proposals under shipments, minimum order limit, brand name NSNs, QPL, compliance with military shipping standards, and past performance factors as either acceptable or unacceptable. Id. at 105-108. A rating of unacceptable under any of the technical capability factors could render the entire proposal unacceptable. Id.