Agency Not Required to Conduct Additional “Value” Assessment When Solicitation Required Offerors to Submit Best Solution Based on Budgeted Cost; GAO B-414247, ICF Incorporated LLC

Protest challenging the agency’s technical evaluation is denied, where the agency reasonably assigned a strength to the protester’s proposal for providing additional information in response to discussions, but still concluded the proposal did not exceed the solicitation’s requirements and therefore did not warrant an outstanding rating; and protest alleging the agency was required to perform a “value” assessment, distinct from the technical evaluation, is denied, where the solicitation expressly provided that each offeror was expected to propose the cost/price specified in the solicitation, and to propose the “most benefit possible” for that specified amount, and the agency therefore reasonably made its best-value determination on the basis of the highest technically-rated proposal.