A firm protested an Air Force contract award to another firm for food services, contending that: (1) the solicitation was ambiguous because it provided that variable costs could not exceed a certain percentage of fixed costs but left the threshold percentage unclear; or (2) the awardee's bid was nonresponsive. The Air Force contended that the protest was untimely filed because it concerned the sol...

IS CONSIDERED TIMELY WHERE THE PROTESTER REASONABLY WAS UNAWARE. THAT ITS INTERPRETATION WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE POSSIBLE. DOES NOT PRECLUDE A VALID AWARD WHERE AWARD WOULD MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTUAL NEEDS AND THERE IS NO SHOWING OF PREJUDICE TO OTHER BIDDERS. BENCO PROTESTS THAT THE IFB WAS AMBIGUOUS. THAT THE AWARDEE'S BID WAS NOT RESPONSIVE TO THE TERMS OF THE SOLICITATION. BACKGROUND THE PROCUR...