Please join Jennifer Schaus & Associates every Wednesday in 2020 for a complimentary Wednesday series. See the full recording on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tn_6N6T3G8). For more information about our federal contracting services please visit http://www.Jenniferschaus.com or contact us at 202-365-0598. Win more federal government contracts!

1. FED GOV CON
Webinar
Wednesdays
2020 Series
JSchaus & Associates
Washington DC
+ 1 – 2 0 2 – 3 6 5 – 0 5 9 8

2. About Our Webinars:
- Every Wednesday;
- Complimentary;
- Recorded;
- YouTube & our Website;
- No Questions

3. The National Veteran Small Coalition
(NVSBC)
is the largest non-profit trade association
in the country representing veteran and
service-disabled veteran-owned small
business in the federal marketplace as
prime and subcontractors. NVSBC
provides networking, match-making,
coaching, and training opportunities for
members.
Please visit: www.nvsbc.org

4. About Us:
Professional Services for
Federal Contractors
- GSA Sched;
- SBA 8(a);
- Proposal Writing;
- Pricing;
- Contract Administration;
- Business Development

6. Advertise In Our Newsletter:
Reach 17,000+ Subscribers!
Includes Government &
Government Contractors
Hello@JenniferSchaus.com

7. About Our Speaker:
Mary Beth Bosco
HOLLAND & KNIGHT
www.hklaw.com

8. Bid Protest – Do You Really
Win?
Wednesday,
March 11, 2020

9. Overview
I. Review of Bid Protest Procedures
II. Strategic Considerations: Should You File a Protest?
A. What information is available?
B. Where should you file?
C. What does a win look like?
III. Alternative Strategies
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

10. I. Review of Bid Protest Procedures
1. Can be post-award or pre-award.
2. Must be an “interested party.”
3. Must have suffered prejudice.
4. Three possible ways to protest.
5. Deadlines are important – potential to stop award or performance from
moving forward.
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

11. •
II. Should you file a protest?
Step 1: Gather Information - Debriefings
When must an agency give a debriefing?
Required in FAR Part 15 procurements and IDIQ task/delivery orders procurements,
if timely requested.
Debriefings not required in FSS procurements or FAR Part 13 procurements
(simplified acquisition).
Should an awardee request a debriefing?
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

12. II. Should you file a protest?
Required Debriefing Disclosures
“Brief explanation of the basis for the award decision” required.
Significant weaknesses and deficiencies in the debriefed offeror’s proposal.
Overall evaluated cost and technical rating of the awardee and the debriefed
offeror.
Overall ranking of all offers.
Summary of the rationale for the award.
Reasonable responses to relevant questions posed by the debriefed offeror.
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

13. II. Should you file a protest?
Do you have grounds to protest?
Best opportunity to prevail is failure to follow the process for the competition,
i.e., failure to evaluate mandatory criteria, discussions with only one offeror.
Challenges to an agency’s technical or price evaluation are harder to win
because the agencies are granted broad discretion to make decisions in
their areas of expertise.
Option: File protest and re-evaluate once the agency files the Agency
Record.
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

14. II. Should you file a protest?
Should you intervene if you are the awardee?
Intervention allows awardee’s counsel to obtain a copy of all the
submissions at GAO.
Intervention allows awardee to file its own submissions and assist agency in
defending the award.
Consider whether other parties will protest the procurement.
Next consideration: Where to file the protest.
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

15. 2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates
FORUM AUTOMATIC
STAY?
ACCESS TO
AGENCY
DOCUMENTS?
INDEPENDENT
DECISION-MAKER?
NATURE OF
PROCESS
AGENCY-
LEVEL
Yes No Not Really
(Agency
Employee)
• 35 Days
• Opaque
• One-Sided
• Cheapest
GAO Yes Yes Yes
(GAO Attorney)
• 100 Days
• Transparent
• Two-Sided
• Second most
$$

16. 2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates
COFC No
(Preliminary
Inunction
Possible)
Yes Yes
(Article I Judge)
DoJ Attorney
• 3-6 months
• Transparent
• Two-Sided
• Most $$$

17. III. Additional Considerations?
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates
Statistics 2018 Cases 2019 Cases
Cases filed 2607 2198 (govt shutdown)
Sustain rates 15% 13%
Effectiveness rates (protest
sustained or corrective
action)
44% 44%

18. III. Additional Considerations?
Top reasons for sustaining protests: (1) unreasonable technical evaluation;
(2) inadequate documentation of the record; (3) flawed selection decision;
(4) unequal treatment; and (5) unreasonable cost or price evaluation.
Trend: Allowing agencies multiple bites of the apple.
2020 – Fed Gov Con Webinar Series - Washington DC
JSchaus & Associates

19. THANK YOU!
JSchaus & Associates
Washington DC
hello@JenniferSchaus.com
www.JenniferSchaus.com
+ 1 – 2 0 2 – 3 6 5 – 0 5 9 8
Mary Beth Bosco
Marybeth.bosco@hklaw.com
(202)469-5270