[Protests of HUD Solicitations for Real Estate Asset Management]

A firm protested nine Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) solicitations for real estate asset management services, contending that: (1) the solicitations were vague, lacked sufficient information to allow bid preparation, and imposed undue risk on bidders; (2) HUD contemplated awarding personal services contracts; (3) the evaluation criteria would result in subjective proposal evaluations; (4) HUD should have used sealed-bid procurement procedures; and (5) HUD did not specify realistic minimum and maximum procurement quantities. GAO held that: (1) HUD reasonably specified its minimum needs and the required work; (2) HUD was not required to eliminate all performance uncertainties and risks; (3) HUD was not awarding personal services contracts; (4) subjective evaluations were not improper, and HUD reasonably defined the evaluation criteria; (5) HUD was appropriately conducting negotiated procurements; and (6) HUD would acquire management services for a minimum number of properties under each solicitation. Accordingly, the protests were denied.