[Protest of Navy Contract Award for Overhaul of YR-50 Berthing Barge]

A firm protested a Navy contract award to another firm for a barge overhaul, contending that: (1) the Navy improperly awarded the contract before the Small Business Administration (SBA) declined to issue the protester, the low bidder, a certificate of competency (COC); and (2) the awardee was financially nonresponsible. GAO held that: (1) the Navy awarded the contract 2 days after SBA declined to issue a COC; and (2) it would not review the Navy's affirmative determination of the awardee's responsibility absent circumstances not relevant to the instant procurement. Accordingly, the protest was dismissed.