Solicitation Sought Feral Hog Control. Protester Said Awardee Didn’t Have Hog Experience. GAO Found the Argument as Convincing as Vegan Bacon.

The protester challenged the award of a contract for feral hog control. The protester complained the awardee didn’t have feral hog experience. But GAO found the solicitation only required wildlife management experience, not specific experience with feral hogs. The awardee had the requisite wildlife experience. 

Southern Hog Control, LLC, GAO B-422307 

• No Hog Experience – The solicitation sought feral hog control services. The protester argued the awardee could not meet the experience requirements because it was not a feral hog control company. GAO didn’t think this was a problem. The solicitation did not require experience with feral hog control; it only required experience with wildlife management. Here, the awardee had over five years of experience with wildlife management. That was good enough. 
• Bait and Switch – The protester contended the awardee had proposed personnel it did not expect to provide for performance. GAO was not persuaded. The awardee’s proposal contained a signed letter of intent. The protester had not challenged the validity of the letter. Rather, the protester said the awardee was looking for a subcontractor. But looking for subcontractors was not, by itself, evidence of a bait and switch. 

The protester is represented by Christopher Monhof. The agency is represented by Jason M. Fragoso of the Department of Veterans Affairs. GAO attorneys Christin Milne and Tania Calhoun participated in the decision. 

–Case summary by Craig LaChance, Editor in Chief 

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