A firm protested the award of a contract under an invitation for bids (IFB) issued as a small business set-aside by the Veterans Administration. The protester contended that the awardee did not qualify as a small business concern and, as the next lowest bidder, it should have been awarded the contract. Bid protest procedures require that protests be filed within 10 working days of when the basis o...

DIGEST: PROTEST FILED WITH GAO MORE THAN 10 WORKING DAYS AFTER IT APPEARS PROTESTER LEARNED OF BASIS FOR PROTEST IS UNTIMELY UNDER 4 C.F.R. SEC. 21.2(A) (1982) AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. THE IFB WAS ISSUED AS A SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (VA). SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE CONTRACT. BIDS FOR THE SUBJECT IFB WERE OPENED ON JUNE 14. BFC WAS A QUALIFIED SMALL BUSINESS. IT...