A firm protested a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) solicitation for lightning data processing, contending that NOAA was required to utilize its contract Federal Supply Schedule rather than conduct a competitive procurement. GAO held that NOAA properly: (1) obtained a waiver from mandatory use of the protester's schedule contract; and (2) determined that the protester's sched...

Procurement on basis of full and open competition was proper. The protest is denied. The same equipment and services are available under the firm's Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract with the General Services Administration (GSA). Since NOAA is a mandatory user of the FSS contract. NOAA is required to utilize the FSS contract rather than conduct the procurement competitively. Under which NOAA...