I. M. Systems Group, Inc. (B-422727.2; B-422727.3)

You should not care.

Category: Price realism, staffing, key personnel

Date: 27 December 2024

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-422727.2%2Cb-422727.3

I. M. Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG), protested NOAA’s issuance of a task order to Science and Technology Corporation (STC) under a ProTech 2.0 Satellite Domain IDIQ for scientific and technical services. IMSG challenged NOAA’s evaluation of STC’s price proposal, arguing it was too low to meet solicitation requirements, and contended that NOAA unfairly assessed staffing and key personnel experience.

GAO found that NOAA’s price evaluation was consistent with the solicitation, which did not require a price realism analysis. NOAA reasonably determined that STC’s proposed pricing aligned with its technical proposal and PWS. Regarding staffing, NOAA properly evaluated retention rates, and while it credited STC for a 100 percent retention rate without supporting data, GAO found no disparate treatment. Lastly, GAO rejected IMSG’s claim that STC should have received a lower rating for key personnel, as NOAA recognized and accounted for STC’s deficiencies in project management experience.

GAO denied the protest, emphasizing agency discretion in price and technical evaluations

Digest

1. Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of the awardee’s price proposal is denied where the record shows that the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.
2. Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of proposals under two technical factor elements is denied where the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the terms of the solicitation.