Core4ce challenges removal from $1.4B RETS contract competition
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By
Nick Wakeman
The company wants the Government Accountability Office to rule on allegations of a conflict-of-interest involving a competitor for the Defense Department research-and-development vehicle.
Core4ce was disappointed when the Defense Department removed the company from the competition for a $1.4 billion contract supporting research efforts.
The company submitted a proposal for the yet-to-be awarded Research Development Test Evaluation Engineering and Technical Support contract, a multiple-award vehicle known as RETS.
Core4ce has turned to the Government Accountability Office challenging the DOD’s evaluation of its proposal. Core4ce is arguing that the government has not meaningfully investigated or mitigated a possible organizational conflict interest involving a competitor.
The company claims that the competitor is affiliated with another firm that helped DOD prepare the solicitation and review bidders’ technical and cost/price data.
GAO expects to rule on the allegations by Jan. 19 and DOD cannot make awards until that decision.
The RETS vehicle consolidates several existing contracts. Deltek data lists the current incumbents as including Modern Technology Solutions, American Systems Corp. and Applied Research Associates.
Some of the task areas DOD is consolidating under RETS include mission engineering, prototyping, modeling and simulation, and operational analysis.
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