Reports News from the GAO http://www.gao.gov/legal/ Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:50 -0400 GAO /images/gao_logo_rss.gif http://www.gao.gov/ Feed provided by GAO. Click to visit. http://www.gao.gov/products/B-408001?source=ra General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), of St. Petersburg, Florida, protests the award of a contract to HDT Tactical Systems, Inc. (HDT), of Solon, Ohio, under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA8629-12-R-2422, issued by the Department of the Air Force for Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicles (GAARVs). The protester argues that the agency should have rejected HDT's proposal as technically unacceptable.We deny the protest. Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407159.4?source=ra Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. (HTSI), of Columbia, Maryland, protests the Department of the Army, Army Materiel Command's, amendment of request for proposals (RFP) No. W52P1J-12-R-0004, for integrated logistics support services (ILSS-2). HTSI asserts that the amendment of the past performance evaluation scheme is improper.We deny the protest. Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407399.2?source=ra American Apparel, Inc., of Selma, Alabama, protests the award of a contract to Bluewater Defense, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, by the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), under request for proposals (RFP) No. SPM1C1-10-R-0028, for the manufacture of Army Combat Uniform (ACU) trousers.We deny the protest. Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-408022,B-408022.2?source=ra Specialized Steel Contractors, Inc. protests the cancellation, after bid opening, of invitation for bids (IFB) No. IBM12B0008, issued by the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC), for a levee rehabilitation project adjacent to the Rio Grande, between the towns of Ysleta and Fabens, Texas.We deny the protest. Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407966?source=ra Global Dynamics, LLC (GD), of Columbia, Maryland, protests the exclusion of its proposal from the competitive range under request for proposals (RFP) No. W81K04-12-R-0025, issued by the Department of the Army for registered nursing services for the San Antonio Military Healthcare System. The protester contends that the decision to exclude its proposal was the result of an improper evaluation.We sustain the protest. Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407562.3?source=ra JV Derichebourg-BMAR & Associates, LLC (JVDB), of Naples, Italy, requests that we recommend that it be reimbursed the costs associated with filing and pursuing its protest against the Department of the Navy's award of a contract to NewStar S.r.L. under request for proposals (RFP) No. N33191-12-R-1600, for custodial and maintenance services at the U.S. Navy's Support Activity in Gricignano, Italy.We grant the request in part and deny it in part. Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-408023?source=ra BCPeabody Construction Services, Inc., of Tampa, Florida, protests the award of a contract to Edens Construction Company, of South Bay, Florida, by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, under request for proposals (RFP) No. W912EP-13-R-0001 for dike rehabilitation construction services. BCPeabody primarily argues that the Corps improperly rejected its proposal as technically unacceptable.We deny the protest. Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407948,B-407948.2,B-407948.3,B-407948.4,B-407948.5,B-407948.6,B-407948.7,B-407948.8?source=ra Nuclear Production Partners LLC (NPP), of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Integrated Nuclear Production Solutions LLC (INPS), of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, protest the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) award of a contract to Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (CNS), of Reston, Virginia, pursuant to request for proposals (RFP) No. DE-SOL-0001458 to perform services associated with maintaining and securing the nation's nuclear weapons. NPP and INPS challenge various aspects of the agency's evaluation process, including assertions that the agency failed to comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation's (FAR) requirements for cost realism analysis; failed to evaluate cost savings in a manner consistent with the terms of the solicitation; failed to evaluate other portions of the offerors' technical/management proposals; failed to properly consider an alleged conflict of interest; and failed to properly consider an alleged Procurement Integrity Act violation.We sustain the protests in part and deny them in part. Thu, 09 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-408031,B-408055?source=ra Colonial Press International, Inc., of Miami, Florida, a small business, protests the award of two contracts by the Government Printing Office (GPO). The first contract was awarded to Fry Communications, Inc., of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, under invitation for bids (IFB) No. 199-S for printing of a Medicare handbook for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The second contract was awarded to Monarch Litho, Inc., of Montebello, California, under IFB No. 379-975 for printing of a healthy eating booklet for the Food and Nutrition Service. Colonial Press argues that in both cases it submitted the lowest bid, but the GPO rejected both bids after unreasonably determining that Colonial Press was not a responsible contractor.We deny the protests. Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407947,B-407947.2?source=ra Esegur-Empresa de Seguranca, SA (Esegur), protests the award of a contract to Securitas, S.A., by the Department of the Air Force under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA4486-12-R-0017 for a contractor to provide unarmed security guard services at military family housing areas located in Portugal. Esegur challenges the agency's evaluation of the awardee's proposed price.We sustain the protest. Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407972,B-407972.2?source=ra Latvian Connection, LLC, of Kuwait City, Kuwait, protests the terms of request for proposals (RFP) No. W912D1-13-R-0003 issued by the Department of the Army for a video wall at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Latvian also protests the agency's decision to not post the solicitation on the FedBizOpps website and the agency's eventual decision to cancel the solicitation.We deny the protest. Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-587R?source=ra GAO reviewed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (Commission) new rule on clearing exemption for swaps between certain affiliated entities. GAO found that (1) the final rule exempts swaps between certain affiliated entities within a corporate group from the clearing requirement under the Commodity Exchange Act, enacted by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act); and (2) Commission complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule, with the exception of the 60-day delay in effective date requirement. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-593R?source=ra GAO reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) new rule on energy conservation standards for distribution transformers. GAO found that (1) the final rule adopts more stringent energy conservation standards for distribution transformers; and (2) DOE complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule, with the exception of the 60-day delay in effective date requirement. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-595R?source=ra GAO reviewed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor's (DOL) new rule on Wage Methodology for the Temporary Non-Agricultural Employment H-2B Program, Part 2. GAO found that (1) the interim final rule amends regulations governing certification for the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal non-agricultural employment. This interim final rule revises how DOL provides the consultation that DHS has determined is necessary to adjudicate H-2B petitions by revising the methodology by which DOL calculates the prevailing wages to be paid to H-2B workers and U.S. workers recruited in connection with the application for certification; the prevailing wage is then used in petitioning DHS to employ nonimmigrant workers in H-2B status. DOL and DHS are jointly issuing this rule in response to the court's order in Comite de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agricolas v. Solis, which vacated portions of DOL's current prevailing wage rate regulation, and to ensure that there is no question that the rule is in effect nationwide in light of other outstanding litigation; and (2) DHS and DOL complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407990?source=ra Womack Machine Supply Co., of Farmers Branch, Texas, protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. NNM13449183Q, issued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for hydraulic servo control manifolds. Womack complains that the solicitation's testing requirement is unduly restrictive of competition and was added to prevent Womack from competing.We deny the protest. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407973?source=ra Zeichner Risk Analytics (ZRA), of Arlington, Virginia, protests the award of a contract to Nexight Group, of Silver Spring, Maryland, under request for proposals (RFP) No. HSHQDC-12-R-00089 issued by the Department of Homeland Security for infrastructure program studies and analysis support services. The protester contends that the agency's evaluation of its proposal was unreasonable.We deny the protest. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407980,B-407980.2?source=ra e-Management, of Silver Spring, Maryland, protests the exclusion of its proposal from the competitive range under request for proposals (RFP) No. HSSCCG-12-R-00032 issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for enterprise architecture services and governance planning.We deny the protest. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407956,B-407956.2?source=ra ABSG Consulting, Inc. (ABSG), of Arlington, Virginia, a small business, protests the award of a contract to Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. (BAH), of McLean, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, under request for proposals (RFP) No. HSCG32-12-R-R00004 for systems engineering and technical assistance services at the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Connecticut. ABSG argues that the Coast Guard misevaluated the proposals, failed to conduct a proper cost realism analysis, and made an unreasonable best value determination.We deny the protest. Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407842.2?source=ra Triad Logistics Services Corporation, of Melbourne, Florida, protests the award of a contract to Trailboss Enterprises, Inc., of Anchorage, Alaska, under request for proposals (RFP) No. FA4877-12-R-0021, issued by the Department of the Air Force for aircraft services at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.We deny the protest. Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407818?source=ra PAE Government Services, Inc., of Arlington, Virginia, protests the award of a task order contract issued by the Department of State (DOS) under task order request for proposals (TORP) No. SAQMMA12F1885 to DynCorp International LLC, of Falls Church, Virginia, for Criminal Justice Program Support (CPJS) in Haiti. PAE argues that the agency failed to reasonably evaluate offerors’ prices and failed to take into account adverse past performance information concerning DynCorp.We deny the protest. Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407936,B-407936.2,B-407936.3?source=ra FN Manufacturing LLC (FNM), of Columbia, South Carolina, protests the Department of the Army's award of a contract to Colt Defense LLC, of Hartford, Connecticut, under request for proposals (RFP) No. W56HZV-12-R-0182, for replacement barrels (heavy variant) for the M4 small arms weapon (carbine). The protester challenges the agency's evaluation of its proposal under the past performance factor.We deny the protest. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407486.2,B-407486.3?source=ra TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, protests the award of a contract to Novitas Solutions, Inc., of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, under request for proposals (RFP) No. RFP-CMS-2012-0003, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to obtain a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) to provide services for the administration of Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B (A/B) fee-for-service benefit claims. TrailBlazer challenges CMS's evaluation of proposals and selection decision. The protester also contends that the contracting officer's determination that TrailBlazer was not a responsible offeror was unreasonable.We deny the protest in part and dismiss it in part. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407937,B-407937.2?source=ra Unispec Enterprises, Inc., of Largo, Maryland, protests the award of a contract to Wichita Tribal Enterprises, LLC, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, under request for proposals (RFP) No. NNK12423244R, issued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), for institutional support services for NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center. Unispec challenges the agency's technical evaluation, past performance evaluation, and the conduct of discussions.We deny the protest. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:04:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-579R?source=ra GAO reviewed the Securities and Exchange Commission's (Commission) new rule on conflict minerals. GAO found that (1) the final rule implements section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act relating to the use of conflict minerals. Specifically, section 1502 and this rule require issuers with conflict minerals that are necessary to the functionality or production of a product manufactured by such person to disclose annually whether any of those minerals originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or an adjoining country; and (2) the Commission complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.gao.gov/products/B-407949?source=ra GHG Corporation, of Webster, Texas, protests the elimination of its proposal from consideration under request for proposals (RFP) No. NNJ12414076R, issued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to acquire fabrication services at the Johnson Space Center. GHG argues that the agency unreasonably found its proposal technically unacceptable.We deny the protest. Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400