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[Protest of DOE Contractor's Subcontract Award for Water Treatment Training Classes]

B-224682 Published: Nov 28, 1986. Publicly Released: Nov 28, 1986.
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Highlights

A firm protested a Department of Energy prime contractor's subcontract award for water treatment training classes, contending that: (1) the contractor used a competitive, rather than a sole-source procurement, even though small purchase procedures precluded competition; and (2) the awardee's bid was nonresponsive because it failed to meet the scheduled contract starting date. GAO held that: (1) although the requirement that agencies obtain full and open competition when conducting procurements exempts small purchase procedures, agencies should not always make small purchases noncompetitively; and (2) the question of whether a contractor met its obligations after award was a matter of contract administration. Accordingly, the protest was denied in part and dismissed in part.

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Bid responsivenessCompetitive procurementContract administrationContract award protestsProcurement regulationsSmall purchasesSole source procurementSubcontracts