Chaedrol GAO Protest Log 20240819: ICF, NextStep, SPA (AI)

ICF Incorporated, LLC - B-422526, B-422526.2

You should not care. Category: Task order competition Date of the protest: July 18, 2024 URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-422526%2Cb-422526.2

In this case, ICF Incorporated, LLC protested the agency's technical evaluation and award decision related to a task order competition. The GAO upheld the agency's findings, emphasizing that it defers to the agency's evaluation when conducted in accordance with stated criteria. The agency reasonably assigned weaknesses to ICF's proposal for lacking detail in its technical approach and staffing methodology. Furthermore, ICF's disagreement with the evaluation does not provide a basis for sustaining the protest. This case exemplifies the common outcome where protests fail due to the agency's adherence to its evaluation process and the protester's inability to demonstrate that the evaluation was unreasonable.

Digest

Protest challenging agency's technical evaluation is denied where the agency evaluated the proposals in accordance with the terms of the solicitation.

NextStep Technology, Inc. - B-421743.2

You should not care. Category: Submittal Date: August 16, 2024 URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-421743.2

In this case, NextStep Technology, Inc., sought reimbursement for costs associated with a bid protest that was dismissed due to untimeliness. The GAO upheld the agency's evaluation and procedural adherence, indicating that the protester failed to follow the required timelines for filing a request for reimbursement. As such, this protest underscores the importance of strict compliance with procedural rules when seeking redress in government contracting disputes. The dismissal based on technicalities further highlights the challenges that small businesses face in navigating the complexities of government procurement processes.

Digest

Request for recommendation that agency reimburse protester's costs associated with filing and pursuing its bid protest is dismissed as untimely where the request was submitted to the agency, and not GAO, more than seven weeks after GAO dismissed the protest following the agency's corrective action.

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. - B-421967.2

You should not care. Category: Task order competition Date: July 30, 2024

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-421967.2

In this case, the protest by Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA), was denied after challenging the agency's technical evaluation and discussions during a task order competition. The GAO found that the agency's evaluation was reasonable and adhered to the solicitation's criteria. The protester’s proposal was rated unacceptable due to material deficiencies in addressing revised requirements. This highlights the importance of carefully following solicitation instructions, as the GAO generally defers to agencies' evaluations when they comply with stated procedures. As a result, the outcome is not particularly notable or impactful for the broader audience, as it reflects routine evaluation processes and the protester's lack of compliance.

Digest

1. Protest challenging the agency's technical evaluation is denied where the record shows that the agency's evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation's evaluation criteria. 2. Protest challenging the agency's conduct of discussions is denied where the agency's exchanges in a task order competition were not misleading.