A PROTESTER IS ENTITLED TO WAIT TO FILE ITS PROTEST WITH GAO UNTIL RECEIPT OF FORMAL NOTIFICATION FROM THE AGENCY THAT ITS OFFER HAS BEEN FOUND TECHNICALLY UNACCEPTABLE WHERE THE AGENCY CONTINUED TO EVALUATE THE OFFER BEFORE SENDING THE NOTIFICATION. IT IS IMPROPER TO REJECT A STEP ONE PROPOSAL ON THE BASIS OF PERCEIVED DEFICIENCIES IN A "BID SAMPLE" WITHOUT GIVING THE PROPOSER AN OPPORTUNITY. TO...

A firm protested under a Navy solicitation, contending that: (1) the solicitation specifications were unduly restrictive; (2) the Navy improperly rejected the protester's offered product as technically unacceptable; and (3) the awardee's product did not meet the solicitation specifications. While the Navy contended that the protest was untimely filed, GAO disagreed, noting that the protester timel...