[Request for Reconsideration of Dismissed Protest of Navy Contract Award for Vessel Pilot Services]

A firm requested reconsideration of its dismissed protest against a Navy contract award for vessel pilot services. GAO had not considered the protest, since it concerned bidder responsibility. The protester contended that the: (1) awardee did not comply with licensing requirements, which the protester argued were definitive responsibility criteria; and (2) Navy told it that the requirements were definitive responsibility criteria at a protest conference, which caused it not to submit comments on the issue. GAO held that the license requirements were not definitive responsibility criteria, since the Navy did not require bidders to have the licenses prior to award. GAO also held that the Navy's comments did not prejudice the protester, since: (1) the meeting was informal; (2) GAO did not direct the protester to refrain from submitting comments, but merely requested the Navy's legal opinion; and (3) GAO had considered and rejected the protester's arguments on the issue. Accordingly, the request for reconsideration was denied.