[Protest of VA Contract Award for Architect/Engineer Services]

A firm protested a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contract award for architect/engineer services, contending that VA improperly awarded the contract to a bidder who was not located within 300 miles of the place of performance, as required by the solicitation. GAO held that the: (1) record showed the awardee had a strategic partnership agreement with a concern within the designated area; and (2) agreement was adequate to satisfy the requirement, given that the solicitation did not define the precise nature of the term located. Accordingly, the protest was denied.