[Request for Reconsideration of Protests Under Three Air Force Procurements]

A firm requested reconsideration of a decision which dismissed its protest that the prime contractors under three Air Force contracts intended to accept nonconforming materials. GAO had dismissed the protest because: (1) it does not consider subcontractor protests absent circumstances not relevant to the instant protest; and (2) the matter was one of contract administration. The protester contended that: (1) the protest warranted consideration by GAO because the prime contractors were acting as purchasing agents for the government; and (2) permitting the Air Force to modify the contract specifications provided an unfair advantage to the awardees. GAO held that: (1) despite the protester's contentions, the prime contractors were not acting as purchasing agents for the Air Force; (2) since the protester did not demonstrate that the Air Force's participation in the subcontracts award process had the effect of causing the selection of the subcontractor in question, the protest did not warrant consideration; and (3) the Air Force's decision to modify the contracts was a matter of contract administration. Accordingly, the original decision was affirmed.