A firm protested a General Services Administration (GSA) contract award to supply credit reports on individuals, firms, and nonprofit organizations, contending that: (1) its prices were lower than the awardee's; (2) the awardee was unable to comply with all of the solicitation requirements; (3) GAO should consider the merits of its admittedly untimely protest because it raised the significant issu...

GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE WILL NOT CONSIDER THE MERITS OF AN ADMITTEDLY UNTIMELY PROTEST BY INVOKING THE "SIGNIFICANT ISSUE" EXCEPTION OF ITS BID PROTEST REGULATIONS WHERE THE PROTEST. DOES NOT RAISE AN ISSUE OF FIRST IMPRESSION THAT WOULD HAVE WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANCE IN THE PROCUREMENT COMMUNITY. THE ALLEGED IMPROPRIETY WAS APPARENT ON THE FACE OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. THE NEW BASIS OF PROTE...