DarkStar Intelligence, LLC (FA2518-25-R-0033)

B-423966 Jan 26, 2026 Jump To VIEW DECISION DOWNLOADS RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights DarkStar Intelligence, LLC, of Woodbridge, Virginia, protests the Department of the Air Force's issuance of a task order to Strategic Alliance Business Group (SABG), of Fairfax, Virginia, pursuant to fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA2518-25-R-0033, to provide advisory and assistance services "for Space Electromagnetic Warfare (SEW), Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Orbital Warfare (OW) forces to perform USSF [United States Space Force] missions." FOPR at 19. DarkStar challenges the agency's assessment of a strength in SABG's proposal based on SABG's proposal of an "enhancement/innovation," complaining that "[p]roposing an enhancement/innovation was not a[n evaluation] factor." Protest at 4. 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: DarkStar Intelligence, LLC File: B-423966 Date: January 26, 2026 Edward J. Tolchin, Esq., Offit Kurman, Attorneys-at-Law, for the protester. Christopher R. Shiplett, Esq., Randolph Law, PLLC, for Strategic Alliance Business Group, the intervenor. Colonel Nina R. Padalino, Aaron J. Weaver, Esq., Lawrence M. Anderson, Esq., and Blaine E. Beckstrom, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency. Glenn G. Wolcott, Esq., and April Y. Shields, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest is denied where agency's evaluation of awardee's proposal was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation, and the agency reasonably concluded that the technical superiority of the awardee's proposal offset its higher price. DECISION DarkStar Intelligence, LLC, of Woodbridge, Virginia, protests the Department of the Air Force's issuance of a task order to Strategic Alliance Business Group (SABG), of Fairfax, Virginia, pursuant to fair opportunity proposal request (FOPR) No. FA2518-25-R-0033, to provide advisory and assistance services “for Space Electromagnetic Warfare (SEW), Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Orbital Warfare (OW) forces to perform USSF [United States Space Force] missions.”[1] FOPR at 19. DarkStar challenges the agency's assessment of a strength in SABG's proposal based on SABG's proposal of an “enhancement/innovation,” complaining that “[p]roposing an enhancement/innovation was not a[n evaluation] factor.” Protest at 4. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND On June 6, 2025, pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 16.5, the Air Force issued the solicitation to service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) concerns holding General Services Administration (GSA) One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus (OASIS+) indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts. The solicitation provided that a task order would be issued to the offeror “whose proposal is considered to provide the best value to the Government by meeting or exceeding PWS [performance work statement] requirements” and established two evaluation factors: technical capability and price. FOPR at 11. The solicitation provided that the technical capability factor was “significantly more important” than price. Id. at 3. Under the technical capability factor, the solicitation established three subfactors: staffing/management plan; technical approach; and transition. Id. at 7-8. Of relevance here, the solicitation provided that the technical approach subfactor was the most important subfactor and would be considered in the tradeoff; under the technical approach subfactor, proposals would be subjectively evaluated and assigned adjectival ratings of outstanding, good, acceptable, marginal, or unacceptable.[2] Id. at 12-13. Of relevance here, a rating of “good” was defined as applicable to a “proposal [that] indicates a thorough approach and understanding of the requirements and contains at least one strength.” Id. at 13. In turn, a “strength” was defined as “an aspect of an Offeror's proposal that has merit or exceeds specified performance or capability requirements in a way that will be advantageous to the Government[.]” Id. Finally, the solicitation provided that, under the technical approach subfactor, the agency would “evaluate the extent to which the Offeror's proposal demonstrates an understanding of the requirements and approach to supporting PWS paragraphs 5.1.1, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, and 5.8.” Id. at 12. In this context, PWS paragraph 5.2.1, titled “SDA [space domain awareness] Sensor Focus Area,” provided that the contractor's required support extends to “ground-based SDA sensors . . . Allied SDA sensors . . . and commercial SDA sensor integration.” Id. at 24.