Information Ventures, Inc.

A firm protested a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), sole-source contract award for a clinical social worker to provide assistance related to the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative and various suicide prevention activities, contending that SAMHSA failed to investigate whether competition exists to perform the requirement. GAO held that the procurement was under simplified acquisition procedures and the contracting officer reasonably determined that, under the circumstances of the contract action, only one source was reasonably available. Accordingly, the protest was denied.