B-228434: Jan 27, 1988

A firm protested a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) contract award to another firm for air fleet maintenance and repairs, contending that DEA: (1) improperly awarded the contract to a higher-priced, technically equal offerer; (2) should have awarded it the contract, since its bid was low; and (3) improperly requested best and final offers. GAO held that DEA properly: (1) awarded the contract...

B-228434: Jan 27, 1988

There is no requirement that award be made on the basis of lowest cost. The contracting agency may properly exercise its judgment to select a technically superior but higher-priced proposal where the solicitation evaluation criteria provide that cost considerations are secondary to technical merit. Protest based on offeror's disagreement with evaluation is denied. Since regulations provide for inc...