[Complaint of Contract Award]

A firm complained concerning a contract award for the construction of a new vehicle maintenance facility by a grantee of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration. The protester complained that the grantee did not permit the awardee to substitute its product for one named in the contract. The awardee's request for the substitution had been rejected by the contracting officer because the request failed to show that the substitution was necessary to perform the contract or would be of substantial benefit to the Government. The protester contended that the disapproval was improper and excluded it from participation in the contract. GAO review in grant situations is limited to an examination of awards made by the grantee to prime contractors or, in certain circumstances not present here, the contractor's award of a subcontract. The issue raised by the protester involved contract administration and GAO does not consider such matters as part of its grant review process. Accordingly, the complaint was dismissed.