[Claim for Attorney's Fees]

A firm claimed reimbursement for attorney's fees in connection with a protest it filed alleging that the Air Force failed to refer its negative responsibility determination to the Small Business Administration (SBA). GAO noted that: (1) it dismissed the protest after it was advised that the contract award had been cancelled and the question of the firm's responsibility had been referred to SBA; and (2) attorney's fees may be recovered when the contracting agency has unreasonably excluded the protester from the procurement. GAO found that: (1) the Air Force did not unreasonably exclude the protester from the procurement; and (2) the protester was given the opportunity to compete in the procurement when its responsibility determination was referred to SBA. Accordingly, the claim was denied.