Small businesses object to their exclusion from $5B USAID vehicle
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By
Nick Wakeman
Two companies are challenging the U.S. Agency for International Development's decision to only select a pair of small businesses for the stability support services program.
A pair of small businesses are challenging how the U.S. Agency for International Development made its choices for a $5 billion contract vehicle.
The Support Which Implements Fast Transition contract, known as SWIFT, supports USAID’s work to promote democracy and stability in countries where conflict is a regular occurrence to promote democracy and stability. This is the sixth iteration of the SWIFT vehicle.
SWIFT 6 has two primary service areas. One is for transition programs, which was competed as full-and-open. The second for program operations and technical assistance work was set aside for small businesses.
In solicitation documents, USAID said it was eyeing between three and five small business awards but could make less than that. Only two small businesses won spots – Integrity Global and Nickol Global Solutions.
Valar Ltd and Proximity International have now gone to the Government Accountability Office objecting to those awards. They are challenging the evaluation of their proposals and USAID’s best-value tradeoff decision.
GAO's bid protest docket indicates decisions are due March 26 and 27, unless they are bundled into a single ruling.
Not being protested are the full-and-open winners:
- Adam Smith US
- Blumont Global Development
- Chemonics International (incumbent)
- Creative Associates International (incumbent)
- Democracy International
- Dexis Interactive (incumbent)
- DT Global (incumbent)
- Management Systems International (incumbent)
- Palladium International (incumbent)