Protest cycle continues for FedBizOpps

Development InfoStructure Corp. of Arlington, Va., once again is protesting the General Services Administration's award of the contract to run the government procurement portal to Symplicity Corp. of Arlington, Va.

Development InfoStructure, or Devis, submitted its protest late last week to the Government Accountability Office after a debriefing from GSA on Dec. 12.

GSA awarded Symplicity, a Section 8(a) business, a $17.4 million contract that includes three base years and five one-year options to run FedBizOpps.gov. In June, GSA awarded Symplicity the contract, but pulled it back after protests by losing bidders?Devis and Information Science Corp. of Silver Spring, Md.

ISC, which was on the incumbent team headed by Science Applications International Corp of San Diego, may also file a protest.

GSA reopened the competition by issuing an amendment diminishing the requirement for integrated IT security between the system and other agency applications, and awarded the contract back to Symplicity in earlier this month.

GAO has until March 27 to make a decision. GSA must submit its report to GAO by Jan. 17.

Mike Golden, GAO's attorney handling the case, could not comment on the protest because it is under a protective order.

Calls to Devis and Devis' attorney Robert Ryland of Kirland & Ellis LLP of Washington were not returned. Symplicity also did not return calls for comment.

FedBizOpps, which is the sole source of every RFP worth more than $25,000 from more than 100 federal agencies, will continue under the previous contract held by SAIC, awarded in November 2000.

Jason Miller is an assistant managing editor of Washington Technology's sister publication, Government Computer News.