Close

The Bid Protest Debrief

Updated:

Wright Brothers Protest Fails to Take Flight: GAO Grounds Untimely Protest

In Wright Brothers Aero, Inc., B-423326.2 (July 7, 2025),​ Wright Brothers Aero protested the Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) reaffirmation of a contract award for aircraft refueling services to Premier Jet Services, arguing that the agency failed to reasonably implement corrective action and improperly evaluated proposals. But GAO dismissed the protest…

Updated:

Trap for the Unwary: GAO Clarifies That Agency’s Misleading Statements Do Not Extend Protest Deadline

In SMS Data Products Group, Inc., B-423341, et al. (May 29, 2025​), SMS Data Products Group protested a task order award to Abacus Technology Corporation for intranet control support services. While the protest raised several price and evaluation challenges, the most significant issue was timeliness—specifically, when the debriefing ended and…

Updated:

Conflict Confirmed: GAO Sustains Rare OCI Protest in Army Cyber Procurement

In DirectViz Solutions, LLC, B-423366, et al. (June 11, 2025)​, DirectViz Solutions protested the Army’s issuance of a task order to Peraton for cybersecurity information technology support services for the Army’s Global Cyber Center (GCC). DirectViz alleged that Peraton’s simultaneous performance of a related task order supporting the Army Cyber…

Updated:

DISA Award Upheld Despite Massive Price Gap: GAO Says Sticker Shock Isn’t Enough

In AIX Tech, LLC, B-423417, et al., June 11, 2025, AIX Tech protested the award by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) of a task order to Defense Solutions Group (DSG) for strategic advisory support services, challenging the evaluation of DSG’s proposal, the best-value tradeoff decision, and alleging an undisclosed…

Updated:

Court of Federal Claims Upholds Agency’s Course Correction in Pursuit of Best Value

In Red River Science & Technology, LLC v. United States, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, No. 24-2035C (June 18, 2025), Red River challenged multiple aspects of an Army procurement under the Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise (EAGLE) Program, including the reopening of discussions, allowing a previously disqualified offeror (Vanquish) back…

Updated:

COFC Warns: Protesters Must Prove Capability, Not Just Claim It

In KL3, LLC v. United States, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, No. 24-2028 (June 2, 2025, reissued June 12, 2025), KL3 challenged the Department of Defense’s award of two sole-source contracts under the SBA’s 8(a) program, arguing that the agency improperly circumvented small business rules by breaking up and reclassifying…

Updated:

GAO Finds Exclusion Over $0.01 Scrivener’s Error Unreasonable, But Denies Protest for Lack of Prejudice

In Innovative Management & Technology Approaches, Inc., B-423190, et al., Mar. 3, 2025, IMTAS protested its exclusion from a competition run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after the agency rejected its proposal based on a $0.01 discrepancy in one labor rate listed on its pricing template. The error—a…

Updated:

No Harm, No Foul: GAO Reaffirms That Prejudice Is Everything

In Kako’o Spectrum Healthcare Solutions, LLC, B-421127.5, et al., May 28, 2025, Kako’o Spectrum Healthcare Solutions (KSHS) protested the U.S. Marine Corps’ award to Cognito Systems, arguing that Cognito’s proposal exceeded the page limit and that the agency unreasonably failed to assign additional strengths to KSHS’s own proposal. KSHS claimed…

Updated:

Deadline Missed, Protest Dismissed: GAO Shuts Down Untimely VA Protest

In A2A Integrated Logistics, Inc., B-423433, May 20, 2025, A2A Integrated Logistics protested a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contract award after learning that its proposal had been rejected due to a technical issue—specifically, the agency’s email server allegedly blocked the submission. A2A maintained that its proposal was timely submitted…

Updated:

No “Hard Facts,” No Win: GAO Denies Lockheed’s OCI Protest

In Lockheed Martin Corporation, B-423294, May 2, 2025, Lockheed Martin protested the Air Force’s handling of potential organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs) in a procurement for Tactical Operations Center – Light prototype systems. Lockheed alleged that Science Applications International Corp., a competitor, had unmitigated OCIs due to its work as…