GAO Sustains Challenge to Evaluation Language Requiring a Joint Venture Protégé Member to Have the Same Experience as Other Offerors

Crowell & Moring – The Government Accountability Office sustained a protest (Innovate Now, LLC, B-419546, April 26, 2021) against an Air Force solicitation that required the protégé member of any mentor-protégé joint venture offeror to meet the same experience requirements as all other offerors.  Specifically, the RFP required that a joint venture offeror must provide a minimum of at least one work sample from each member of the joint venture that reflected a federal contract performed by the entity as a prime contractor on a non-fixed price basis for at least six months within the last five years.