[Request for Reconsideration of Sustained Protest Under Library of Congress Solicitation]

The Library of Congress requested reconsideration of a sustained protest against its contract award for a telephone system. GAO had held that the Library: (1) improperly evaluated the protester's proposal; and (2) failed to conduct meaningful discussions with all offerers. In its request for reconsideration, the Library contended that: (1) the telephone contact it had with the awardee was merely for clarification and not discussions; and (2) the awardee's increased point score after its proposal modifications was not to the protester's disadvantage. GAO held that: (1) a request for proposal revisions constituted discussions; and (2) the score of either firm was irrelevant because the Library based its selection on its failure to conduct the same discussions with the protester as it conducted with the awardee. Accordingly, the decision was affirmed.