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B-270690.3 1 (1996-06-27)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptaeaf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Comptroller General of the United States Washington, D.C. 20548 Decision Matter of: Quality Lawn Maintenance File: B-270690.3 Date: June 27, 1996 Michael Van Fleet for the protester. Brian Brinson, Excell Management Corporation, an intervenor. Emily C. Hewitt, Esq., Gary F. Davis, Esq., and Richard E. Hurst, Esq., General Services Administration, for the agency. Susan K. McAuliffe, Esq., and Michael R. Golden, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest that solicitation requirements exceed contracting agency's minimum needs and are unduly restrictive of competition is denied where there is no showing that agency lacked a reasonable basis for the challenged requirements. DECISION Quality Lawn Maintenance protests the terms of invitation for bids (IFB) No. GS11P96MJC0001, issued by the General Services Administration for landscape maintenance services at 30 installations in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. The protester contends that certain requirements in the solicitation exceed the agency's minimum needs and unduly restrict competition. We deny the protest. The amended IFB, set aside for small business concerns, includes a requirement for the contractor to have an on-staff horticulturist that is either certified by the American Association of Nurserymen or some equivalent organization, or possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in either horticulture or a related life science. The protester contends that this requirement is in excess of the agency's minimum needs because the grounds maintenance services can successfully be provided without a certified or degreed horticulturist on staff. The protester states that this requirement was not included in predecessor contracts, that the requirement is restrictive for small businesses that may not have such a horticulturist on staff, and that the requirement will greatly increase the cost of the contract. 310624

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