Link: GAO Opinion
Agency: Department of Homeland Security
Disposition: Protest denied.
General Counsel P.C. Highlight:
GAO denied the protest of Zeichner Risk Analytics (ZRA) regarding the award of a contract to Nexight Group, under a request for proposals (RFP) issued by the Department of Homeland Security for infrastructure program studies and analysis support services.
The RFP was issued as a small business set-aside and contemplated the award of a contract that would provide technical expertise and analytic support services related to national critical infrastructure protection, public/private partnership, and information sharing. The contract would be awarded based on: technical approach and understanding; management approach and capabilities; and past performance. Under the management approach and capabilities factor, offerors had to describe their organization/team, management approach, and capabilities “to include depth and breadth of skill, experience, and personnel.” Proposals were to include a staffing plan describing the offerors’ current personnel resources, capabilities and experience related to the SOW tasks, as well as a proposed labor mix to conduct the SOW tasks and produces any deliverable.
ZRA challenged the agency’s evaluation of its technical proposal under the management approach and capabilities factor. The agency found that the protester’s proposal lacked detail regarding the proposed staffing plan and labor mix to perform specific tasks. GAO disagreed with the protester after finding that ZRA’s proposal was general in stating that staff hired to perform the work would have sufficient experience, and failed to demonstrate specific experience performing SOW tasks or expertise.