Rice Services, Inc. ()

B-424208,B-424208.2,B-424208.3 Apr 09, 2026 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Rice Services, Inc., a small business of Smithville, Tennessee, protests the issuance of an undefinitized contract action (UCA) modifying task order No. W52P1J-19-F-0395 under and indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) Contract No. W52P1J-19-D-0044 to Kellog Brown and Root Services (KBR), LLC, of Houston, Texas, issued by the Department of the Army, Army Materiel Command for cook support and dining facility attendant augmentation services at the United States Military Academy. The protester contends that the task order modification is beyond the scope of the overarching task order IDIQ contract. 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: Rice Services, Inc. File: B-424208; B-424208.2; B-424208.3 Date: April 9, 2026 Aron C. Beezley, Esq., Eugene J. Benick, Esq., Jenna R. Mazzella, Esq., Nathaniel J. Greeson, Esq., Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, for the protester. Jonathan A. Hardage, Esq., Wade L. Brown, Esq., Andrew Telschow, Esq., and Calvin Dane, Esq., Department of the Army, for the agency. Suresh S. Boodram, Esq., and Evan D. Wesser, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest that a proposed modification to an existing task order to add dining facility support services is out of scope of the underlying indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is denied where the requiring activity is within the scope of the underlying contract, the underlying contract provides for a wide range of services including specifically food services, and the scope of work does not limit to whom services can be rendered. DECISION Rice Services, Inc., a small business of Smithville, Tennessee, protests the issuance of an undefinitized contract action (UCA) modifying task order No. W52P1J-19-F-0395 under and indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) Contract No. W52P1J-19-D-0044 to Kellog Brown and Root Services (KBR), LLC, of Houston, Texas, issued by the Department of the Army, Army Materiel Command for cook support and dining facility attendant augmentation services at the United States Military Academy.[1] The protester contends that the task order modification is beyond the scope of the overarching task order IDIQ contract. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND Logistics Readiness Center (LRC)-West Point (LRC-West Point) is one of 70-plus LRCs that provide logistical support to installations throughout the U.S. Army. Contracting Officer's Statement and Memorandum of Law (COS/MOL) at 17 n.1 (citing U.S. Army Sustainment Command CG Visits Logistics Readiness Center-West Point, https://www.army.mil/article/186814/u_s_army_sustainment_command_cg_vis… (last visited Mar. 16)). LRC-West Point plans, coordinates, and provides logistical support and services for the United States Military Academy at West Point (USMA) and the West Point Military Reservation. Id. This includes transportation, food service, and care and maintenance of weapons, additional equipment, and clothing products for cadet use. Id. Recently, the cadet mess at USMA has experienced staffing shortages and LRC-West Point determined that immediate action was necessary to ensure that it could continue providing meals to the cadets at USMA. Agency Report (AR), Tab 48, Affidavit of LRC-West Point Food Service Division Chief at 4. To this end, LRC-West Point is currently engaging in efforts to hire more staff. Id. at 4-5. To address the immediate needs of USMA, LRC-West Point decided to pursue a temporary contract solution for dining facility (DFAC) support services until long-term staffing issues can be addressed. Id. On November 18, the Army made its first attempt to fulfill its immediate needs through the award of a sole-source contract for cook support and DFAC support services. AR, Tab 27, Protest at 3-4. On November 21, Rice filed a protest with our Office arguing, in part, that the agency had not demonstrated a valid urgent and compelling need that justified a sole-source award. Id. at 11. On December 19, the agency requested that our Office dismiss Rice's protest as academic based on the agency's intention to terminate the sole-source award. AR, Tab 28, Req. Dismissal at 1. Our Office subsequently dismissed the protest as academic on December 22. Rice Services, Inc., B-424105, Dec. 22, 2025 (unpublished decision). On January 5, 2026, the agency again tried to fulfill its needs through the award of another sole-source bridge contract to the same putative awardee. AR, Tab 30, 2nd Protest at 8. On January 6, Rice filed a protest raising nearly identical arguments that the sole-source award was unreasonable. Id. at 14-16.