Allegation That "List of Bidders" Did Not Include Awardee

A bidder protested the award under a request for proposals (RFP) issued by the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital at San Diego, California. The RFP was a total small business set-aside. The protester alleged that the awardee was not included on the "list of bidders" provided by the VA and that the awardee was not a small business. The protester also alleged that the VA's extensions to the closing date were due to a possible "improper involvement" between the VA and the awardee. The VA had no legal obligation to inform the protester of either new prospective offerors who requested a solicitation, or any offeror under the solicitation itself. The protest was denied, as where an extension was granted to enhance competition by permitting offerors ample time to carefully consider and review their prices and proposals, there was no basis for any objection. Also, in the absence of probative evidence of improper agency involvement with an awardee, it was assumed that the protester's allegations were speculative and it was concluded that the protester did not meet its burden of proof.