[Protest of Air Force Failure To Apply Formal Advertising Procedures]

A firm protested the Air Force's failure to use advertised procurement procedures under a solicitation for operations and maintenance services. The solicitation was to be used to determine whether to contract for the services or to continue performance of the services by government employees. The protester contended that the Air Force's use of negotiated procurement procedures was unjustified and that the Air Force could have ensured that its needs were met by using advertised procurement and a preaward survey to determine awardee responsibility. GAO held that: (1) the Air Force had demonstrated that its needs could not be expressed in a detailed enough fashion to permit formal advertising; and (2) advertised procurement and a preaward survey would not have met the Air Force's requirements because negotiated procurement was necessary to define those requirements. Accordingly, the protest was denied.