A firm protested the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) exclusion of its bid from the competitive range, contending that DEA failed to provide it an opportunity to demonstrate that its product met the qualification requirements. GAO held that DEA failed to solicit offers in a manner designed to achieve full and open competition. Accordingly, the protest was sustained, and GAO recommended that DEA: (1...

PROCUREMENT - Specifications - Brand name/equal specifications - Equivalent products - Acceptance criteria DIGEST: Protest is sustained where agency did not provide protester with a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate the acceptability of its weapons prior to. The protester principally alleges that it was not provided an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of its weapons in contravention...