Link: GAO Opinion
Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs
Disposition: Protest denied.
General Counsel P.C. Highlight:
GAO denied the protest of Visual Connections, LLC based on the rejection of its quotation as unacceptable by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under a request for quotations (RFQ) for section 508 compliance services, including administrative support, compliance monitoring, reporting, technical support, and training.
The RFQ was for section 508 services, which requires agencies to ensure that their electronic and information technology provides equal access to people with and without disabilities. The solicitation gave offerors three main tasks with detailed requirements. Task 1 related to program management and planning, task 2 required evaluation and remediation of electronic information, and task 3 involved resource development and maintenance. Among other requirements, offerors were informed that merely restating the requirements or stating that they would be met without further explanation would be considered insufficient.
Visual Connections argued that the agency’s rejection of its quotation as technically unacceptable was unreasonable. However, the agency and GAO found that Visual Connections did not demonstrate that it had the type of knowledge sought and did not provide sufficient detail to meet the solicitations requirements. GAO found the Visual Connections’ arguments only amounted to a mere disagreement with the agency.