A small business protested a contracting officer's determination that it was nonresponsible and therefore not eligible for a contract award under an invitation for bids issued by the Soil Conservation Service. The contracting officer found the protester to be nonresponsible on the basis of its alleged poor management and financial instability. Because he believed the procurement to be urgent, he a...

DIGEST: A CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REJECTION OF A SMALL BUSINESS BIDDER AS NONRESPONSIBLE WITHOUT REFERRING THE MATTER TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UNDER CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY PROCEDURES WAS IMPROPER. PROTESTS THE CONTRACTING OFFICER'S DETERMINATION THAT THE FIRM WAS NONRESPONSIBLE AND THEREFORE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF A CONTRACT UNDER INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) NO. WE ARE INFORMED THAT...