11 - Centerline Logistics Corporation (B-423838, B-423838.2)

Centerline Logistics Corporation (B-423838; B-423838.2)

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Category: Past performance, discussions, cost or price evaluation

Date: 7 January 2026

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423838,b-423838.2

Centerline protested the Air Force’s award to Vane Line Bunkering for a contract to transport DOD-owned bulk jet fuel, marine diesel, and commercial fuel between ports by tug and barge. The protest focused on how the agency evaluated past and present performance in a mission area where aviation-fuel experience carried unusual weight.

Centerline was slightly lower priced, but the agency rated it satisfactory confidence while rating incumbent Vane substantial confidence. The evaluators found Centerline had relevant marine-diesel experience but no reference involving aviation fuel, which the Defense Logistics Agency advised accounted for 85 percent of the fuel moved under the requirement. GAO upheld that judgment and also rejected Centerline’s claims that the agency should have raised performance relevance in discussions or that the agency treated the offerors unequally.

With the underlying evaluation sustained, GAO also denied the best value challenge. The decision underscores that similarity of commodity and mission risk can drive relevance judgments even where the core transportation platform is the same.

The protest is denied.

Digest

1. Protest challenging the agency's evaluation of offerors' past/present performance is denied where it was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation's evaluation criteria.
2. Protest that the agency did not conduct meaningful discussions by failing to address the relevance of the protester's past/present performance is denied. The agency did not identify any deficiencies or significant weaknesses based on its evaluation of the relevance of the protester's past/present performance therefore the agency was not required to raise the relevance of the protester's past/present performance during discussions.
3. Protest that the agency engaged in disparate treatment in evaluating past/present performance is denied where the record shows that the difference in the evaluation is the result of differences in the proposals.
4. Protest that agency's best-value tradeoff decision was unreasonable is denied where we find the agency's underlying evaluation to be reasonable.