Guardian DB Services, LLC (B-423692)

You should not care.

Categories: Key personnel, resumes

Date: 24 September 2025

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423692

Guardian DB Services, a small business of Mobile, Alabama, protests its elimination from the competition under an RFP issued by the Forest Service for road, bridge, and related civil construction projects in the Rocky Mountain Region. The RFP contemplated award of at least ten IDIQ contracts on a best value tradeoff basis.

Under the organization and management factor, offerors were required to submit resumes for four key positions: project manager, site superintendent, quality control manager, and safety officer. Guardian's proposal included general background summaries instead of resumes for some positions and failed to identify a quality control manager or safety officer entirely.

The agency rated Guardian low confidence under organization and management and did not select it for award. Guardian argues the solicitation's resume requirements were vague and that the information it provided was sufficient. GAO disagreed. The RFP clearly identified four key positions for which resumes were required. While no specific format was mandated, the agency reasonably determined that Guardian's submission did not identify individuals for two of the four positions and did not describe road or bridge construction experience for the others. Vendors bear the burden of submitting proposals that contain all required information.

The protest is denied.

Digest

Protest challenging agency's evaluation of the protester's proposal is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the stated evaluation criteria.