[Request for Reconsideration of Dismissal of Army Protest]

B-218741.3: Jun 10, 1985

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A firm requested reconsideration of a protest that was dismissed because of its failure to furnish a copy of the protest to the contracting agency within 1 day after filing with GAO. The firm contended that the protest should be reopened because: (1) it mailed a copy of the protest to the Army the day after filing with GAO; (2) the issues raised were of widespread interest; and (3) during a telephone request for protest filing procedures, it was not advised of the 1-day filing requirement. GAO held that: (1) a delay in notifying the agency interferes with agency efforts to meet statutory deadlines and delays the protest process and efforts to consider all objections to agency procurement actions; (2) an exception for a waiver of the agency notice on the basis of procurement community interest is inapplicable since similar protests have been considered; and (3) reliance on allegedly incomplete information does not excuse a protester's failure to comply with the notice requirement since it is solely the protester's responsibility to ensure that all filing requirements are met. Accordingly, the dismissal was affirmed.