A firm protested the rejection of its low bid and the proposed award of a contract to another bidder. The invitation for bids (IFB) provided for alternative bids, one including first-article testing and the other without first-article testing but requiring certain evidence of performance to be submitted. The protester submitted a bid only for performance without first-article testing, and the agen...

BIDS - INVITATION FOR BIDS - SPECIFICATIONS - TESTS - FIRST ARTICLE - ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATION DECISION TO WAIVE FIRST ARTICLE TESTING IS ESSENTIALLY A DISCRETIONARY ONE WHICH WILL NOT BE DISTURBED UNLESS IT IS CLEARLY ARBITRARY OR CAPRICIOUS. WHERE PREVIOUS PROCUREMENT INDICATED SPECIFICATIONS WERE DEFECTIVE. AGENCY WAS NOT ARBITRARY IN REQUIRING FIRST ARTICLE TESTING FOR FIRST ITEMS PRODUCED...