SOFIS-TRG, LLC (B-423667)

You should care.

Category: Past performance, best value tradeoff, technical evaluation

Date: 16 September 2025

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423667

SOFIS‑TRG, LLC, of Alexandria, Virginia, protested the Air Force’s award of an MQ‑9 remotely piloted aircraft training contract to MilTrain JV II, LLC under an RFP conducted using FAR parts 12 and 15. Both offerors were rated acceptable technically and substantial confidence for past performance, but MilTrain’s price was slightly lower.

Past‑performance equalization challenge: SOFIS‑TRG argued the Air Force improperly “equalized” past performance by assigning both firms substantial confidence even though SOFIS‑TRG had one more very relevant reference. GAO held the solicitation called for a holistic confidence assessment, not a mechanical count of relevancy ratings, and the record showed the Air Force reasonably weighed recency, relevancy, and quality.

Best value tradeoff: The protester also alleged a flawed tradeoff, claiming the source‑selection authority ignored meaningful differences in past performance. GAO found the SSA expressly reviewed the underlying records, concluded the firms’ performance histories were comparable, and reasonably declined to pay a price premium for SOFIS‑TRG’s proposal.

Digest

SOFIS-TRG, LLC, of Alexandria, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to MilTrain JV II, LLC, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA4890‑23‑R‑0065, issued by the Department of the Air Force for training services for the MQ‑9 remotely piloted aircraft. The protester asserts that the agency unreasonably assigned the proposals the same performance confidence assessment rating under the past performance factor and that the agency conducted a flawed best‑value tradeoff analysis.[1]