[Request for Reconsideration of Dismissal of Protest Against Navy Contract Awards for Fork-Lift Trucks]

A firm requested reconsideration of the dismissal of its protest against two Navy contract awards for forklifts. GAO had dismissed the protest because the matter involved contract administration and bidder responsibility, neither of which it would consider. In its request for reconsideration, the protester: (1) reiterated its contention that the awardee could not comply with a domestic specialty metals requirement; and (2) contended that the requirement constituted definitive responsibility criteria that the Navy misapplied. The protester also protested a third Navy contract award to the same firm for the same forklifts. GAO held that: (1) whether the awardee supplied conforming forklifts was a matter of contract administration, which it would not consider; (2) the specialty metals requirement did not constitute definitive responsibility criteria; and (3) the protest against the third award was similarly without merit. Accordingly, the dismissal was affirmed.