The U.S. Government Accountability Office has denied a protest by a North Carolina defense contractor claiming the Navy unfairly shifted a $41.6 million training services contract to a Florida rival by inflating its performance record.
Contractor Claims Bias in $41M Navy Deal
Advanced Computer Learning Co. LLC (ACLC), based in Fayetteville, argued that Navy evaluators gave Linchpin Solutions Inc. undeservedly positive past performance ratings, tipping the scales against ACLC’s own $42.1 million proposal.
But in a Sept. 2 ruling released Friday, the GAO concluded the Navy’s review was lawful and reasonable.
“The RFP never required past performance references to cover every task in the scope of work,” GAO attorneys wrote. “Where the agency’s method of assessing relevance is otherwise reasonable, our office does not require comparison with each subtask.”
RFP and Contract Scope
The Navy’s solicitation, issued in August 2024, sought training support services for the Joint Interoperability and Data Link Training Center and allied partners. The contract—structured as an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity award—was reserved for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, potentially lasting 66 months with an extension.
Award criteria focused on performance approach, past performance, and price under a best-value framework.
