High Plains Computing, Inc.—d/b/a HPC Solutions—Reconsideration (B-422934.2)

You should not care.

Category: Best value decision, process

Date: 10 April 2025

URL: https://www.gao.gov/assets/880/878370.pdf

High Plains Computing, Inc. (HPC Solutions), a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, sought reconsideration of GAO’s prior decision denying its protest of a task order award by VA for IT support services. The original award, issued under GSA MAS 54151S to Veterans EZ Info Inc., followed a best value determination. HPC's technical proposal was found unacceptable due to deficiencies and a significant weakness; its proposed price was also nearly triple the awardee’s.

In its reconsideration request, HPC alleged errors of fact and law, improper dismissal of its technical evaluation challenge as untimely, and failure to address claims of bias and pricing irregularities. It also objected to the agency’s internal communications and perceived threats, and complained of improper information disclosures.

• Jurisdiction and scope of review: GAO affirmed its original dismissal of claims unrelated to procurement statutes and regulations, such as the alleged release of protest correspondence and internal VA conduct.
• Untimely technical challenge: GAO maintained that HPC’s supplemental protest grounds were filed more than ten days after it knew or should have known the basis, rendering them untimely under 4 CFR § 21.2(a)(2).
• Bias allegations and tool “blocking”: GAO rejected speculative bias claims and concluded that unaddressed issues—like cybersecurity concerns with specific tools—did not affect the sufficiency of the evaluation rationale.
• Price realism for T&M items: Even though the order included time-and-materials elements, GAO reiterated that price realism evaluations are not required unless the solicitation specifically provides for them, which it did not.

The protest was dismissed.

Digest

Request for reconsideration is dismissed where the requester has not shown that our prior decision contained either errors of fact or law or information not previously considered that warrants reversal or modification of the decision.