[Protests of DLA Contract Awards for Perishable Food Items]

A firm protested 12 Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract awards for perishable food items, contending that DLA improperly limited eligibility for a small-disadvantaged-business (SDB) evaluation preference to SDB that qualified as regular dealers. GAO held that DLA: (1) properly applied the regular dealer requirements in determining eligibility for the SDB preference; and (2) reasonably determined that the protester was not eligible for the SDB preference, since it did not maintain a true inventory of perishable foods on a regular basis. Accordingly, the protests were denied.