[Protest of Anticipated Army Contract Award for Gearbox Housings]

A firm protested an anticipated Army contract award to another firm for helicopter gearbox housings, contending that the Army: (1) improperly decided to limit competition to two manufacturers; and (2) failed to revise its defective technical data package, even though it had the necessary data. GAO held that: (1) the Army reasonably decided to limit competition, since it urgently needed the housings and did not have data available to conduct a competitive procurement; and (2) the protester did not demonstrate that it had the capability to manufacture functional housings. Accordingly, the protest was denied, but GAO recommended that the Army procure a minimum number of housings until it could conduct a competitive procurement.