Tech7 Consulting, LLC (B-423206; B-423206.2)

You should not care.

Category: Discussions, compliance

Date: 10 March 2025

URL: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423206%2Cb-423206.2

Tech7 Consulting, LLC, protested the US Air Force, U.S. Space Force’s decision to award IDIQ contracts to other offerors under RFP #FA8819-24-R-B002 for advisory and assistance services. Tech7 challenged the agency’s decision not to conduct discussions and argued that it was entitled to submit additional cost/price information.

The solicitation stated that the government "may award without discussions" unless it determined that discussions were in its best interest. GAO found that Tech7 failed to submit required cost/price information for subcontractors despite specific guidance from the agency. As a result, Air Force was unable to evaluate Tech7’s proposal for cost reasonableness, realism, and unbalanced pricing.

Tech7 argued that the solicitation’s language mandated discussions where the agency found cost/price data insufficient. GAO disagreed, ruling that the solicitation permitted but did not require discussions. The agency's decision not to conduct discussions was found reasonable, particularly given that twelve proposals included all required information.

GAO upheld the agency’s decision to exclude Tech7’s proposal from award consideration and denied the protest.

Digest

Where solicitation advised offerors that the agency “may award without discussions,” protester’s assertion that the agency was required to open discussions to permit the protester’s submission of additional information is denied.