Contract reopened for FedBizOpps.gov upgrade
After issuing an amendment diminishing the requirement for integrated IT security between the system and other agency applications, GSA asked companies bidding on the contract to resubmit the portion of their proposals that the new amendment affected.
The General Services Administration last week reopened the contract to revamp FedBizOpps.gov, after issuing an amendment diminishing the requirement for integrated IT security between the system and other agency applications.
The agency asked the four companies bidding on the contract to resubmit only the portion of their proposals that the new amendment affected. New bids are due July 25.
GSA had awarded the $17.4 million contract to Symplicity Corp. of Arlington, Va., earlier this month.
By issuing the change, GSA convinced the Government Accountability Office to dismiss protests filed by Information Sciences Corp. of Silver Spring. Md., and Devis Corp. of Arlington over the award to Symplicity.
GAO officials said, "The solicitation amendment removed the requirements, and the offerors were asked to submit technical and price proposal revisions. The agency reported that it will evaluate the revised bids and make a new source selection decision, and if that decision is other than Symplicity, they will terminate and award a new contract."
Symplicity, which would not comment on the reopening of the contract, has not started work on the initial award.
GSA also asked GAO to dismiss the protests because they are moot until they finalize the award and because they will re-evaluate bids, audit agency officials said.
GSA officials did not return calls for comment on why they reopened the contract. Devis also would not comment on GSA's decision.
But ISC lawyer William Shook, an attorney with Preston, Gates Ellis LLP of Washington, said GSA's corrective action was not enough.
"GSA's corrective action does not address the nine grounds of protest raised by ISC in its GAO protest, and we will have to await the new selection decision to determine whether further action will be needed," Shook said. "It's unfortunate that the agency responsible for procurement has taken more than a year to award a critical, but relatively small-dollar contract."
Jason Miller is an assistant managing editor of Washington Technology's sister publication, Government Computer News