FAILURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER TO AWARD ON INITIAL PROPOSAL BASIS TO LOWEST PRICED TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE OFFEROR WAS UNREASONABLE AND CONTRARY TO SOLICITATION. 2. CLAIM FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS IS ALLOWED SINCE RECORD ESTABLISHES AGENCY'S ACTIONS WERE UNREASONABLE IN REJECTING ALTERNATE PROPOSAL WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR AWARD ON INITIAL PROPOSAL BASIS. THE RFP WAS FOR LANGUAGE TR...

A company protested the rejection of its proposal submitted under a request for proposals (RFP) issued by the Department of the Army. The contracting officer rejected the company's proposal as nonresponsive because, by submitting alternate proposals, the company changed the terms of the RFP. The Army subsequently recognized that the company's proposal should have been reviewed to determine whether...