Protest leads to spot on $1.8B training contract vehicle

For all the companies filing bid protests after they lose out on a contract, the outcome of this challenge by Swingtech is what they long for.

That company was one of 14 competitors for a $1.8 billion small business contract out of the Office of Personnel Management.

OPM is using the USALearning vehicle to acquire training and education support products and services, according to GovTribe.

Bidders had to self-score across several non-price factors. OPM would then pick the companies with the highest technical score, then determine which prices are fair and reasonable.

Eight companies won initial awards in November: Team Carney, Enterprise Knowledge LLC, Vantage Point Consulting, AP Ventures, Compel joint venture, Veracity Technology Consultants, Choisys Technology and Mecor.

Swingtech took its disappointment to the Government Accountability Office in the form of a bid protest, claiming OPM reduced some of their scores. The company argued the reductions were unreasonable and inconsistent with the terms of the solicitation.

Swingtech also claimed one of the winners was not eligible for an award because it was neither registered with Sam.gov, nor was a small business.

OPM’s response in essence was: “We made a mistake.” Swingtech now has a spot on the contract, which led to their protest's dismissal.

This looks like a case of a protestor making the right complaint at the right time. For OPM, adding Swingtech was a better choice than fighting it out at GAO.

Now the nine winners will compete for task orders.