[Protest of DLA Solicitation for X-Ray Systems]

A firm protested a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) solicitation for x-ray systems, contending that DLA: (1) improperly issued the solicitation to test the reasonableness of its contract option prices; (2) failed to prepare a written justification for the solicitation; and (3) improperly solicited only half of its known requirement in the original solicitation so that it could create an auction for its remaining requirement. GAO held that: (1) DLA reasonably used the solicitation to determine the reasonableness of exercising the contract option, since considerable time had elapsed since the original solicitation, more firms had entered the market, and it was not feasible to conduct a market survey; (2) failure to provide written justification was not a sufficient basis for sustaining the protest; and (3) DLA did not have a firm requirement for the additional units when it issued the original solicitation. Accordingly, the protest was denied.