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B-230615, Mar 15, 1988, 88-1 CPD 268

B-230615 Mar 15, 1988
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PROCUREMENT - Socio-Economic Policies - Small Business 8(a) Subcontracting - Eligibility - Administrative Determination DIGEST: Whether firm is eligible for assistance under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act is a matter for determination by the Small Business Administration. Is not subject to review by the General Accounting Office. Material furnished by ECA indicates the solicitation was set aside by the Navy for small disadvantaged business concerns under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. Although ECA was a small disadvantaged business. Its parent company was a small business. Whether a firm is eligible for assistance under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act is basically a matter for determination by the SBA and is not subject to review by our Office.

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B-230615, Mar 15, 1988, 88-1 CPD 268

PROCUREMENT - Socio-Economic Policies - Small Business 8(a) Subcontracting - Eligibility - Administrative Determination DIGEST: Whether firm is eligible for assistance under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act is a matter for determination by the Small Business Administration, and is not subject to review by the General Accounting Office.

Engineering Corporation of America:

Engineering Corporation of America (ECA) protests the rejection of its bid as nonresponsive under solicitation No. N68836-88-B-0020, issued by the Naval Supply Center, Department of the Navy, Jacksonville, Florida, for keypunch services. We dismiss the protest.

Material furnished by ECA indicates the solicitation was set aside by the Navy for small disadvantaged business concerns under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 637(a) (1982). Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to enter into contracts with government agencies and to arrange for the performance of such contracts by letting subcontracts to socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. The Navy rejected ECA's bid as nonresponsive because, although ECA was a small disadvantaged business, its parent company was a small business, which made ECA ineligible for award.

ECA protests that it should be certified as a small minority business based on its current financial status. However, whether a firm is eligible for assistance under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act is basically a matter for determination by the SBA and is not subject to review by our Office. Saliba Construction Co., Inc., et al., B-230215 et al., Mar. 3, 1988, 88-1 CPD ***.

The protest is dismissed.

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