KesselRun Corporate Travel Solutions, LLC (B-423311)

You should not care.

Category: Multiple award schedule, BPA

Date: 10 April 2025

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423311

KesselRun Corporate Travel Solutions, LLC, protested GSA’s exclusion of its quotation under RFQ No. 47QMCB25Q0006 for the establishment of a BPA for corporate travel and expense consulting services. KesselRun argued that GSA unreasonably found it ineligible based on its Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract’s expiration date, insufficient past performance submissions, and pricing issues. KesselRun also claimed GSA should have clarified deficiencies or referred the matter to the Small Business Administration for a certificate of competency.

Chronologically, GSA found KesselRun’s FSS contract would expire approximately 20 days before the end of the BPA’s potential five-year term should all BPA options be exercised. GSA, citing FAR 8.405-3(d)(3) and GAO precedent, concluded that BPAs must be fully supported by active FSS contracts for their entire ordering periods. GAO reviewed KesselRun’s arguments, including claims that only the base period mattered and that options are speculative, but found them inconsistent with solicitation language and FSS acquisition rules. As the deficiency was sufficient to exclude KesselRun regardless of other issues, GAO declined to resolve disputes over past performance and pricing.

The protest was denied. GSA’s exclusion of KesselRun was reasonable and consistent with procurement regulations.

Digest

Protest challenging the exclusion of the protester’s quotation from the competition is denied where the agency reasonably found the protester was ineligible for award where its Federal Supply Schedule contract included an insufficient period of performance to cover the potential duration of the anticipated blanket purchase agreement.