[Protest of GSA Contract Award for Consulting Services]

A firm protested a General Services Administration (GSA) fixed-price contract award for consulting services, contending that GSA improperly excluded it from the competitive range. GAO held that, since the bid was significantly lower than the awardee's and was technically acceptable, GSA should have included it in the competitive range. Accordingly, the protest was sustained, and GAO recommended that GSA reimburse the protester for its protest preparation costs, since contract termination would not be in the government's best interest.