Computer Information Specialist Case Analysis
Running head: Computer Information Specialist
Computer Information Specialist
Title and Citation
United States General Accounting Office (GAO) Decision
Matter of: Computer Information Specialist, Inc.
File: B-293049; B-293049.2
Date: January 23, 2004
Facts of the Case
Computer Information Specialist, Inc. (CIS) filed a protest of the award of a contract to Open Technology Group, Inc. (OTG). CIS responded to a request for proposals (RFP) No. NLM-030101/SAN by the Department of Health and Human Services for telecommunications support services at the agency’s Bethesda, Maryland facility. The solicitation specified a requirements contract with fixed hourly rates for a base year with four 1-year options. The agency intended to award the contract based on “best value” with several non-price criteria as the most heavily weighted factors. Proposals were to include fully-loaded, fixed hourly rates for labor categories. The agency received numerous proposals and established a competitive range of four firms after initial evaluation. The range included CIS as well as OTG the eventual awardee. Following the contract award to OTG; CIS underwent an agency debrief and subsequently filed a protest asserting that both its proposal and the proposal of OTG were misevaluated. Issues
Agencies are required to evaluate proposals based solely on the evaluation factors identified in the solicitation. Furthermore, according to Federal Acquisition Regulations, they must adequately document the reasons for their evaluation conclusions (FAR§ 15.308). GAO recommended to the agency was to, at a minimum reevaluate both proposals to ascertain if they were evaluated based on the evaluation factors and to determine if adequate rationale were articulated.
Decisions (Holdings)
Anthony H. Gamboa, General Counsel wrote the recommendation. The protest was sustained.
Reasoning (Rationale)
GAO concluded that the Department of Health and Human Services misevaluated
Computer Information Specialist
Title and Citation
United States General Accounting Office (GAO) Decision
Matter of: Computer Information Specialist, Inc.
File: B-293049; B-293049.2
Date: January 23, 2004
Facts of the Case
Computer Information Specialist, Inc. (CIS) filed a protest of the award of a contract to Open Technology Group, Inc. (OTG). CIS responded to a request for proposals (RFP) No. NLM-030101/SAN by the Department of Health and Human Services for telecommunications support services at the agency’s Bethesda, Maryland facility. The solicitation specified a requirements contract with fixed hourly rates for a base year with four 1-year options. The agency intended to award the contract based on “best value” with several non-price criteria as the most heavily weighted factors. Proposals were to include fully-loaded, fixed hourly rates for labor categories. The agency received numerous proposals and established a competitive range of four firms after initial evaluation. The range included CIS as well as OTG the eventual awardee. Following the contract award to OTG; CIS underwent an agency debrief and subsequently filed a protest asserting that both its proposal and the proposal of OTG were misevaluated. Issues
Agencies are required to evaluate proposals based solely on the evaluation factors identified in the solicitation. Furthermore, according to Federal Acquisition Regulations, they must adequately document the reasons for their evaluation conclusions (FAR§ 15.308). GAO recommended to the agency was to, at a minimum reevaluate both proposals to ascertain if they were evaluated based on the evaluation factors and to determine if adequate rationale were articulated.
Decisions (Holdings)
Anthony H. Gamboa, General Counsel wrote the recommendation. The protest was sustained.
Reasoning (Rationale)
GAO concluded that the Department of Health and Human Services misevaluated