Procurement Using Basic Ordering Agreements Not in Accordance with Procurement Principles

A company protested against the agency's refusal to award it an order under its basic ordering agreement (BOA), stating that benchmark tests showed its cost to be the lowest. The agency's procurement procedure, conducting informal competition for an order to be placed under a BOA, was not in accordance with procurement principles. The prequalification of offerors was also questioned. The agency should review its procedures and conduct any further competition in a manner consistent with this decision. Because of this recommendation, issues relating to selection for award were academic.