B-283700: Dec 16, 1999

Restriction of competition to a specific make and model of helicopter is reasonable. Standardization of the agency's fleet is necessary for safety reasons. AEC contends that restricting the competition to a brand name is unreasonable because AEC's helicopter will meet all the agency's needs. This requires the use of a specialized device that is suspended below the helicopter and requires the helic...

B-283700: Dec 16, 1999

A firm protested a Department of Energy (DOE) solicitation for helicopters, contending that DOE's restriction of competition to a manufacturer's brand name product was unreasonable. GAO held that DOE reasonably restricted competition to a specific make and model of helicopter, since the helicopter used specialized equipment that could not be used with the protester's helicopter. Accordingly, the p...