[Protest of EPA Cancellation of Solicitation]

A firm protested the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) cancellation of one solicitation for the operation and maintenance of a research and development park, under which it was the proposed awardee, and the agency's subsequent resolicitation and award of five separate contracts. During the development of the protest, the protester, as the incumbent, performed under its contract extensions until the time at which it was awarded four of the five new contracts. The remaining one was offered as a small business set-aside. The firm argued that the EPA notice of selection which was rescinded had created a binding contract and alleged that the cancellation was improper primarily because the new solicitations covered services identical to those in the original solicitation and did not constitute a basis for the cancellation. GAO found the protest of the cancellation academic as to the four awards since the protester was the awardee. As to the fifth, GAO stated that the protester presented no evidence of fraud or bad faith on the part of Government officials. Accordingly, the protest of this solicitation was denied and of the remainder, dismissed.