A firm protested an Air Force contract award for seals and cover rings, contending that the award was improper because the Air Force denied it a reasonable opportunity to qualify as an approved source for the products. GAO held that the Air Force reasonably: (1) restricted the procurement to approved-source products due to its critical performance requirements; (2) provided the protester an opport...

It is not unreasonable for the agency to refuse to further consider the proposed product until either the product undergoes testing. The award to Kaydon was made on a sole source basis because that firm was the only source approved to manufacture this item when the RFQ was issued and at the time of award. Asserts that the award was improper because it was not afforded a reasonable opportunity to b...