Sea Box, Inc. (SPE8ED-26-R-0002)

B-424332 Jun 15, 2026 Jump To FULL REPORT VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Sea Box, Inc., a small business of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. SPE8ED-26-R-0002, issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for various types of shipping containers. Sea Box primarily challenges the agency's market research and set-aside determination, including that the agency's market research is outdated and the agency's market research methodology and decision to issue certain contract line item numbers (CLINs) as unrestricted are unreasonable. 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: Sea Box, Inc. File: B-424332 Date: June 15, 2026 Katherine B. Burrows, Esq., Caitlin E. Trevillyan, Esq., Timothy F. Valley, Esq., and Kristine E. Crallé, Esq., Piliero Mazza, PLLC, for the protester. Andrew T. McGuire, Esq., and Ashley L. Peskoe, Esq., Defense Logistics Agency, for the agency. Hannah G. Barnes, Esq., 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 the agency's decision to issue two contract line item numbers on an unrestricted basis was reasonable, as the agency's market research was sufficient to conclude that the agency would likely not receive proposals from at least two responsible small business concerns that could meet the solicitation's requirements at a fair market price for those contract line item numbers. DECISION Sea Box, Inc., a small business of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. SPE8ED-26-R-0002, issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for various types of shipping containers. Sea Box primarily challenges the agency's market research and set-aside determination, including that the agency's market research is outdated and the agency's market research methodology and decision to issue certain contract line item numbers (CLINs) as unrestricted are unreasonable. We deny the protest. BACKGROUND The RFP, issued on January 29, 2026, solicited proposals for 38 different types of shipping containers, each listed under a separate CLIN. Agency Report (AR), Tab 1, RFP at 1, 63-71.[1] Specifically, the RFP sought proposals for five major types of containers, denoted by length: 40-foot containers, 20-foot containers, bicon containers, tricon containers, and quadcon containers.[2] See id. at 63-71; Contracting Officer's Statement and Memorandum of Law (COS/MOL) at 2. Within those five types of shipping containers, the RFP solicited various configurations of each container type with specific features, such as the number and placement of doors or the type of paint or coating on the container. RFP at 63-71. The agency describes this procurement as an “acquisition for a new, enterprise-wide, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity [(IDIQ)] contracting program for commercial cargo containers,” which will “enable a reduction of lead times and efficient procurement” and consolidate various CLINs on one vehicle. Agency's Post-Hearing Comments at 3; see also AR, Tab 12, DD Form 2579, Small Business Coordination Record at 2. The agency further describes it as a “long-term contract acquisition” with a “maximum value [of] $304 million.” Tr. at 9. The RFP contemplated the award of multiple 5-year, fixed-price, IDIQ contracts, under which delivery or task orders for each individual CLIN would be issued. RFP at 5, 7. The solicitation provided that award would be made on a CLIN-by-CLIN basis, with up to seven awardees for each CLIN. Id. at 7. The RFP explained that the agency would select the first awardee for each CLIN “based on the single lowest evaluated price submitted among all responsive, responsible, and technically acceptable offerors.” Id. The agency would then make award to the offeror with the next lowest-priced, technically acceptable proposal, with this process continuing for up to seven awards per CLIN. Id. Prior to issuing the solicitation, the agency conducted market research and acquisition planning. On June 5, 2024, the agency issued a sources sought notice posted to the System for Award Management (SAM.gov); it updated that notice on June 17 and included an attached request for information (RFI).[3] COS/MOL at 3; see generally AR, Tab 10, RFI. The RFI sought information on industry capabilities, production capacities, pricing, and ability to comply with small business and foreign acquisition regulations. See AR, Tab 10, RFI. DLA received responses from fifteen firms, fourteen of which were small business concerns. AR, Tab 9, Market Research Memo at 3; Tr. at 23.