Protest against Sole-Source Award of Contract

Institute protested the sole-source award of a study contract on the basis that other qualified competition existed. This protest was denied because the record reflects that while the agency admits the existence of possible competition, noncompetitive award was premised on the fact that only one firm could perform the study within the timeframe required by law, due to the contractor's familiarity with the work. Where the decision to contract sole-source due to public exigency is rationally founded, GAO will not object to such restriction of competition as unduly restrictive.