[Protest of Possible Marine Corps Contract Award to Either of Two Low Bidders]

A firm protested a Marine Corps (USMC) contract award to either of the two low bidders under a solicitation for work on USMC property in California, contending that, since the firms did not have valid California licenses, they were not eligible for award. GAO found that the solicitation did not require bidders to possess a California contractor's license. GAO has held that, if a solicitation does not specifically require bidders to comply with state or local licensing requirements, the contracting officer is not required to consider whether bidders are in compliance with such requirements when making award. Accordingly, the protest was dismissed.