Request for Consideration of Late Proposal

A Federal agency rejected a research institute's proposal as late and refused to consider it for award. This decision was protested to GAO. However, GAO held that the protest was untimely and dismissed it. Subsequently, a professor at the institute protested to his congressman. No protest will be considered on its merits unless it meets GAO timeliness rules. If GAO were to consider an untimely protest when submitted by a Member of Congress, it would suggest that the timeliness provision could be circumvented by submitting a protest through a Member of Congress. Therefore, the constituent's protest would not be considered.