[Protest of Air Force Sole-Source Contract Award for Plate Retaining Turbines]

A firm protested an Air Force sole-source contract award, citing an Air Force procurement planning list as the basis for its protest. Based on the planning document alone, GAO could not determine whether any award was actually made. Furthermore, it found no basis to believe that the protest was timely. A protest of a sole-source award must be filed within 10 working days after the basis for the protest is known, and this protest was not filed within that timeframe. In addition, GAO found that the protester failed to diligently pursue the information which formed the basis of the protest. Finally, the protester complained that the Air Force has consistently refused to approve it as a source without first evaluating its product. Since GAO only considers protests concerning specific solicitations or awards, this basis of the protest was dismissed. Accordingly, since GAO could not consider any of the bases of the protest, the protest was dismissed.