A firm requested reconsideration of the dismissal of its protest of a proposed Bureau of Prisons contract award, contending that: (1) the Bureau improperly considered its letter as a protest; and (2) GAO should have considered its protest under the significant issue exception to protest timeliness rules. GAO held that: (1) the Bureau properly determined that the letter was a protest; and (2) it wo...

DISMISSAL OF ORIGINAL PROTEST IS AFFIRMED. PROTEST WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED ON THE MERITS. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO) WILL NOT CONSIDER THE MERITS OF AN UNTIMELY PROTEST UNDER EITHER THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE OR GOOD CAUSE EXCEPTIONS TO GAO TIMELINESS REQUIREMENTS. WE DISMISSED TREMCO'S PROTEST AS UNTIMELY BECAUSE ITS PROTEST WAS FILED WITH OUR OFFICE MORE THAN 10 WORKING DAYS AFTER THE CONTRACTING...