CONTRACTS - NEGOTIATION - CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROHIBITIONS - STATUS OF OFFEROR PROTEST IS SUSTAINED WHERE AGENCY'S REJECTION OF A PROPOSAL BASED ON AN ALLEGED CONFLICT OF INTEREST WAS UNREASONABLE. THE EMPLOYEE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT HE EXERTED ANY IMPROPER INFLUENCE ON BEHALF OF THE PROTESTER. PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS ARE RECOMMENDED. THE SOLICITA...

A firm protested the Agency for International Development's (AID) rejection of its proposal to provide technical services to a foreign country. The protester was selected for contract award but, prior to award, a possible conflict of interest involving the protester's employing an AID employee was discovered, and the procurement proceedings were suspended pending an investigation. Before the inves...