DIGEST: PROTEST FILED AFTER BID OPENING ALLEGING THAT 15 DAY BIDDING PERIOD SPECIFIED BY SOLICITATION AFFORDED PROTESTER AN INADEQUATE TIME IN WHICH TO PREPARE ITS BID IS UNTIMELY SINCE BASIS OF PROTEST WAS APPARENT PRIOR TO BID OPENING. ETC ALLEGES THAT IT WAS AFFORDED AN INADEQUATE TIME TO PREPARE A BID IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS (FPR) SECS. 1-2.202-1 AND 1-2.202-1(C) (1964...

The protester alleged that it was afforded inadequate time to prepare a bid. The contracting agency issued an invitation for bids (IFB), and stated that the short bidding time was required in order to make the award before the end of the fiscal year, not only to avoid losing funds which had unexpectedly become available but to avoid delay in its renovation schedule. The record showed that the prot...