Request for Relief From an Assessment of Liquidated Damages

A firm requested relief from an assessment of liquidated damages. However, in a report, the head of the agency recommended against remission of these liquidated damages. The GAO authority to remit liquidated damages is based solely upon legislation which provides that the Comptroller General upon the recommendation of the head of the agency may remit all or part, as he considers just and equitable, of any liquidated damages. Accordingly, GAO declined to grant the relief requested.