[Protest of USDA Approval of Product Used Under Construction Contract]

A firm protested the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) approval of a product under a construction contract, contending that USDA improperly: (1) rejected the prime contractor's plan to use its product; and (2) controlled subcontractor selection by arbitrarily interpreting and waiving certain specifications. GAO considers subcontractor protests only in limited circumstances. To the extent that this protest might qualify for consideration under those circumstances, GAO found that it was untimely. Accordingly, the protest was dismissed.