“The General Services Administration on Wednesday halted the award of the $15 billion Polaris governmentwide acquisition contract while it assesses the merits of a pre-award challenge launched last month over how the prior experience of small businesses is treated as part of the solicitation.
In an update on Sam.gov the agency said it was ‘temporarily pausing’ the request for proposals grouped under Polaris while it assesses the validity of concerns raised over the treatment of joint ventures…”
“’While completing this assessment, GSA is temporarily pausing the RFPs until further notice. A subsequent amendment will establish a new closing date. Following completion of the assessment, the proposal due date will be extended accordingly. Offerors are encouraged to pause proposal activities until this assessment is completed,’ the spokesperson added…”
“Commenting on the decision to pause the RFP, federal contracting attorney Shane McCall said: ‘GSA has indicated they will resume the solicitation activity after they assess the joint venture issue. I tend to take them at their word on this.’
‘I think there will be an amendment to the solicitation that addresses a requirement for proteges to include some past performance,’ he added. ‘This is similar to the issue on which GAO sustained a protest last year related to use of mentor-protege past performance.’…” Read the full article here.
Source: GSA pauses Polaris contract to consider merits of pre-award protest – By John Hewitt Jones, April 7, 2022. FedScoop.
