This is the accessible text file for GAO report entitled 'GAO Bid 
Protest Annual Report to the Congress for Fiscal Year 1999' which was 
released on January 18, 2000.

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Comptroller General of the United States: 

B-158766: 

January 18, 2000: 

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert: 
Speaker of the House of Representatives: 

Dear Mr. Speaker: 

This letter responds to the requirements of the Competition in 
Contracting Act of 1984, 31 U.S.C. § 3554(e) (Supp. III 1997), that 
the Comptroller General report to the Congress each instance in which 
a federal agency did not fully implement a recommendation made by our 
Office in connection with a bid protest decided the prior fiscal year. 
We are pleased to report no such occurrence during fiscal year 1999. 

During the fiscal year we received 1,290 protests (including 29 cost 
claims) and 109 requests for reconsideration for a total of 1,399 
cases. We closed 1,446 cases: 1,316 protests (including 29 cost 
claims) and 130 requests for reconsideration. Enclosed for your 
information are some statistics concerning suspensions of contract 
awards and performance as a result of bid protests. 

A copy of this report, with the enclosure, is being furnished to the 
Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the House Committee on 
Government Reform. A similar report is being furnished to the 
President of the Senate. 

Sincerely yours, 

[Unsigned]: 

Comptroller General of the United States: 

Enclosure: 

Suspension of Award/Performance Data: 

Background: 

CICA contains several provisions whose purpose is to enhance the 
likelihood that protests can be decided before contract performance 
reaches a stage at which corrective action is effectively precluded. 
Where an agency is notified of a protest before award, CICA precludes 
an award unless the head of the procuring activity makes certain 
findings justifying the award. In cases where notice is received 
within 10 days following the date of award or within 5 days after a 
required debriefing, CICA requires the suspension of performance 
unless the head of the procuring activity makes certain other findings 
justifying the continuance of performance despite the protest. 

Data: 

The following tables present data regarding the number of contracts 
awarded after a protest was filed (table A), the number of protests in 
table A in which GAO sustained the protest (table B), the number of 
contracts in which performance was not suspended following a protest 
(table C), and the number of cases sustained by GAO in which 
performance was not suspended (table D). 

Table A: Protests Filed Before Award- Contracts Awarded After Protest 
Filing: 

Defense Agencies: 6; 
Civilian Agencies: 4. 

[End of table] 

Table B: Protests Filed Before Award- Protests Sustained Where 
Contracts Awarded After Protest Filing: 

Defense Agencies: 0; 
Civilian Agencies: 1. 

[End of table] 

Table C: Protests Filed After Award- Contracts in Which Performance 
Was Continued: 

Where agency determined that urgency justified continued performance: 
Defense Agencies: 27; 
Civilian Agencies: 10. 
	
Where agency found that continued performance was in Government's best 
interest: 
Defense Agencies: 25; 
Civilian Agencies: 27. 

[End of table] 
		
Table D: Protests Filed After Award- Protests Sustained Where 
Performance Was Continued: 

Where agency determined that urgency justified continued performance: 	
Defense Agencies: 1; 
Civilian Agencies: 0. 
	
Where agency found that	continued performance was in Government's best 
interest: 
Defense Agencies: 2; 
Civilian Agencies: 12. 

[End of table] 

[End of enclosure] 

[End of report]