B-212895.3, MAR 5, 1984

B-212895.3, MAR 5, 1984

DIGEST: UNTIMELY PROTEST WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER SIGNIFICANT ISSUE EXCEPTION TO TIMELINESS RULES BECAUSE MATTER APPEARS TO CONCERN THIS PROCUREMENT AND IS NOT OF WIDESPREAD INTEREST.

CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CORPORATION - RECONSIDERATION:

CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CORPORATION (CCC) REQUESTS RECONSIDERATION OF OUR DECISION IN CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, B-212895.2, JANUARY 30, 1984, 84-1 CPD . OUR DECISION DISMISSED AS UNTIMELY CCC'S ALLEGATION THAT THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY (DLA) SHOULD NOT HAVE INCLUDED A DOMESTIC WOOL PREFERENCE PROVISION IN THE SOLICITATION. CCC CONTENDS THAT THE PROTEST SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNDER OUR "SIGNIFICANT ISSUE" EXCEPTION, 4 C.F.R. SEC. 21.2(C) (1983).

WE DO NOT CONSIDER THE ALLEGED SOLICITATION IMPROPRIETY RAISED BY CCC TO BE SIGNIFICANT WITHIN THE MEANING OF 21.2(C). THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE EXCEPTION IS LIMITED TO ISSUES OF WIDESPREAD INTEREST TO THE PROCUREMENT COMMUNITY AND IS EXERCISED SPARINGLY SO THAT THE TIMELINESS STANDARDS DO NOT BECOME MEANINGLESS. MCCALEB ASSOCIATES, INC., B-197209, SEPTEMBER 2, 1980, 80-2 CPD 163.

ALTHOUGH CCC ATTEMPTS TO ARGUE THAT THE BASIS FOR ITS PROTEST RAISES A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE CONCERNING THE PROCUREMENT PRACTICES OF DLA, CCC'S ALLEGATION MERELY CONCERNS THE APPLICABILITY OF THE DOMESTIC WOOL PREFERENCE PROVISION TO THIS PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT. THEREFORE, THE ALLEGATION IS NOT OF SUFFICIENT IMPACT TO WARRANT OUR REVIEW UNDER THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE EXCEPTION. COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES, INC., B-201725, MAY 20, 1981, 81-1 CPD 394.

OUR PRIOR DECISION IS AFFIRMED.