Protest Against Nonresponsibility Determination

A firm protested a Defense Construction Supply Center determination that it was not a responsible bidder and the award to another firm. Where the preaward survey stated that the protesting firm did not have sufficient time to manufacture the first production units on schedule based on the survey team's failure to approve the protester's plan to maintain production before government approval of a first article, the contracting officer had a reasonable basis for the determination that the protester was nonresponsible. There was no requirement that bidders be notified in advance of award, and the agency's initial failure to properly state the reason for the rejection of the protester's bid was not prejudicial since the basis for the rejection was found to be reasonable. There was no requirement for the agency to conduct a preaward survey of the successful bidder where the contracting officer had sufficient information to make a responsibility determination.