B-198910.2: Jan 28, 1982

SINCE EPA WAS ENTITLED TO RELY ON GSA'S AUTHORIZATION. GSA SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT A REVIEW OF THE OTHER AGENCY'S PROCUREMENT VERY LIKELY WOULD NOT SUFFICE AS A REPRESENTATIVE MARKET TEST. THE EXCESS LEASED COMPUTER WAS THE LEAST COSTLY APPROACH TO MEET EPA'S NEEDS. WE RULED THAT THE MARKET SURVEY WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE DOE'S REQUIREMENT DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM EPA'S WITH RESPECT TO SYSTEM CONFI...

B-198910.2: Jan 28, 1982

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested reconsideration of a prior decision in which GAO sustained a firm's protest of the EPA sole-source purchase of an excess Government-leased, multi-processor computer from another company. Previously, GAO found that the purchase followed an inadequate market survey of possible alternatives. EPA asserted that the survey and subsequent sole-source pu...