[Protests of Any USDA Contract Awards for Janitorial Services]

A firm protested any Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchase order for janitorial services, contending that USDA improperly denied it an opportunity to compete by not providing it with the solicitations. GAO held that USDA failed to send solicitations to the incumbent based solely on its alleged oral remarks to a contracting official. Accordingly, the protests were sustained, and GAO recommended that USDA: (1) reissue the solicitations and provide the protester an opportunity to compete; (2) terminate the current awardees' contracts if they were no longer in line for award and make award to the appropriate firms; and (3) reimburse the protester for its protest costs.