Protest Involving Nonresponsible Bid

A company protested a contracting officer's determination that it was nonresponsible under three invitation for bids, contending that the officer was in error in considering the prior performance record of one of the protester's key employees in his evaluation of responsibility. The protester also questioned the validity of a preaward survey team determination that it could not perform the contract within the required delivery schedule since a different survey team had given it an affirmative recommendation for a previous contract which it was awarded. It was held that the contracting officer's determination that the protester was nonresponsible was not in error since the experience of a principal officer of a bidding firm may be considered in determining its responsibility. The determination of the preaward survey team was not subject to GAO review. Accordingly, the protest was denied.