A firm protested a Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center's contract award, contending that the procuring activity improperly failed to respond to its request for clarification of the specifications prior to the receipt of proposals. VA stated that the contracting officer received the request for clarification the day before the closing date for receipt of proposals and he determined that, si...

THE AGENCY ACTED REASONABLY BY NOT RESPONDING TO THE REQUEST SINCE THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR A REPLY TO REACH PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS BEFORE SUBMISSION OF THEIR OFFERS AND THERE WAS NO APPARENT NEED TO ISSUE A CLARIFICATION. 2. AGENCY'S REFUSAL TO RESPOND TO REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION OF SPECIFICATIONS BY TELEPHONE IS REASONABLE IN THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO REACH ALL OFFERORS AND IT IS...