[Protest of Education Contract Award for Training Center Operations]

A university protested a Department of Education contract award for the operation of the Higher Education Training and Technical Assistance Center, contending that: (1) the awardee's proposed center director was not qualified; and (2) Education did not conduct meaningful discussions with it. GAO held that Education: (1) reasonably evaluated the awardee's technical proposal and downgraded it because of concerns over the awardee's proposed center director; and (2) conducted adequate discussions with the protester. Accordingly, the protest was denied.