Magellan Federal, Inc. (B-422890.2)

You should not care.

Category: Technical evaluation, process issue

Date: 17 December 2024

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-422890.2

Magellan Federal, Inc., protested the Army Materiel Command’s award of a task order to Serco Inc. for a holistic health and fitness system in support of the Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Center for Initial Military Training. Magellan argued that the agency improperly evaluated its quote, failed to recognize strengths, unreasonably assessed a significant weakness, and should have conducted discussions before making an award decision.

Technical evaluation: Magellan asserted that its proposed key personnel exceeded solicitation requirements and should have been assessed a strength. GAO found that merely exceeding a requirement does not automatically warrant a strength and deferred to the agency’s evaluation.

Significant weakness in management structure: GAO upheld the Army’s determination that Magellan’s approach to assigning additional responsibilities to certain personnel created an appreciable risk to performance. While the solicitation permitted such cross-utilization, GAO agreed that the agency could reasonably view it as a risk.

Decision not to conduct discussions: GAO rejected Magellan’s argument that the Army was required to hold discussions, noting that the procurement was conducted under FAR 16.5, which does not mandate discussions. The agency properly exercised its discretion in awarding without them.

Protest denied.

Digest

1. Protest challenging the agency’s evaluation of the protester’s 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 decision not to conduct discussions is denied where the solicitation provided that the agency intended to make award without discussions and no statute or regulation required the agency to conduct discussions.