A firm protested the award of a contract to another firm under an invitation for bids issued by the Veterans Administration. The protester initially filed a protest to the contracting agency concerning the decision by the contracting officer to accept a bid modification made by the awardee even though it was written on the outside of the bid envelope. The agency denied the protest by letter and, a...

DIGEST: PROTEST FILED WITH GAO MORE THAN 10 WORKING DAYS AFTER PROTESTER RECEIVES NOTIFICATION OF INITIAL ADVERSE AGENCY ACTION (DENIAL OF ITS PROTEST FILED WITH CONTRACTING AGENCY) IS UNTIMELY AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED ON THE MERITS. NICKLES EVEN THOUGH IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BID ENVELOPE. WAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN A LETTER U.D.E. THAT ITS PROTEST WAS DENIED CONSTITUTED INITIAL ADVERSE A...