[Claim for Bid and Protest Preparation Costs]

A firm requested that GAO recommend reimbursement of its bid and protest preparation costs pursuant to its sustained protest of a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contract award. GAO held that the protester: (1) failed to establish that it had paid or would pay its subcontractor's bid preparation cost; (2) did not document the labor rates it used in preparing its claim; and (3) showed that it was responsible for legal fees associated with the protest. Accordingly, the claim was allowed in part.