R&K Enterprise Solutions, Inc.
B-419919.6, .7, .8

• The protester alleged the Air Force’s best-value tradeoff decision was unreasonable because it consisted of a “mechanical comparison of point scores that did not take into account the underlying bases for those scores” and because the source selection authority only considered the awardee’s proposal and did not compare the merits of the offerors’ proposals.
• GAO agreed, noting that the award determination document discusses only the awardee’s proposal, with no reference to R&K’s proposal.
• The Agency had argued that the selection authority had relied on the evaluation board’s recommendation and rationale, but GAO found that, even if that were the case, that recommendation was “based entirely on a mechanical evaluation of point scores” without a qualitative comparison of underlying strengths and weaknesses and was therefore unreasonable.
• GAO recommended the agency perform and document a proper best-value tradeoff.