Air Force takes proactive stance on potential OCIs in $1.4B recompete

Washington Technology is not the only one to notice an uptick in the number of organizational conflict-of-interest allegations that get raised in bid protests.

For one, the Air Force is trying to head off potential OCI issues involving its upcoming Eglin Operations and Maintenance Services II contract known as EOMS II.

The potential $1.4 billion contract will cover a variety of services at the Elgin Test and Training Complex, which is one of the Air Force's main facilities for the testing and evaluation of systems.

Some of the systems tested at Eglin include air-delivered weapons, navigation and guidance systems, command and control systems, and Air Force Special Operations Command systems.

Reliance Test and Technology is the prime contractor. This joint venture of Amentum and InDyne won the 10-year contract in 2016.

The Air Force is working on a final solicitation, but on Wednesday issued a special notice that asks potential bidders to submit their teaming arrangements so the Air Force can review them for potential OCIs.

The review is not mandatory, but the language in the notice is clear that the Air Force wants bidders to submit their teams for review.

“Potential offerors are not required to participate; however, potential offerors are encouraged to submit their teaming arrangements for review prior to release of the formal solicitation,” the Air Force wrote in the notice.

The notice includes an OCI clause that the teaming arrangements will be evaluated against.

The Air Force will advise each team if they will be able to participate in the upcoming competition.

“If in the opinion of the Government the offeror’s teaming arrangement will cause an OCI, the government will provide the general basis for its opinion,” the Air Force wrote.

Regardless of what the Air Force tells the teams, they can still submit a proposal. The review apparently is not a pass-fail mechanism for participation.

The Air Force also provided notice on cross-team restrictions that will be included in the final solicitation. If you are bidding as a prime or as part of a joint venture, you cannot be a subcontractor on another team.

The notice also includes what the Air Force expects to see in an OCI mitigation plan.

Those plans should include details on contracts that involve aerospace systems, major subsystems or components. The Air Force wants an explanation on why that work does not create an OCI, or the actions the contractor will take to mitigate any potential OCI.

Companies have until Aug. 22 to submit their teams for review. Teaming arrangements submitted after Aug. 22 will not be reviewed.

The Air Force does not say why it believes there is a high probability of OCIs involving this contract. I have asked the Air Force for an interview and we will write an update when that happens.

Here at Washington Technology, OCI is one of the most-often raised grounds for a protest after an award.

Earlier this week, we wrote about Peraton being eliminated from a competition because of an alleged OCI. But the company is back in the competition because the Army did not conduct a full investigation.

Last week, Guidehouse lost its protest that alleged OCI issues in the competition for an audit contract that went to Deloitte.

In that case, the Defense Department failed to document its investigation. But the award stayed with Deloitte after DOD did and showed the work.