Request for Reconsideration

A company requested reconsideration of a decision regarding the company's previous solicitation specification protest. The company contended that the Comptroller General reversed his decision after considering new material submitted by the procuring agency, and that this set a double standard which allows agencies as many opportunities as needed to substantiate their positions regarding a protest. The company also contended that the contract awardee was the only bidder capable of fulfilling the bid specifications, thus eliminating competitive bidding. It was held that upon reconsideration, GAO will consider information available to the procuring agency concerning its legitimate needs not submitted during the pendency of the protest. Also, where legitimate needs of the Government can be satisfied from only a single source, the law does not require that those needs be compromised in order to obtain competition.