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The Bid Protest Debrief

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Marathon Targets Misses the Mark: COFC Upholds Disqualification Over Mishandling of Leaked Evaluation Data

In Marathon Targets, Inc. v. United States, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, No. 25-121 (March 13, 2025, reissued March 24, 2025), Marathon Targets sought to block a U.S. Marine Corps contract awarded to MVP Robotics for Trackless Mobile Infantry Targets after the Marine Corps disqualified Marathon from the competition. The…

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No Funding, No Award: GAO Upholds Corps’ Late-Stage Solicitation Cancellation

In Davenergy-VCI JV, LLC, B-423332, April 29, 2025​, Davenergy-VCI protested the cancellation by the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) of a solicitation for architectural engineering construction management services for medical facility construction projects required by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) in Oregon and Washington. Davenergy had already been advised…

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Disqualified for Using a Company Logo? GAO Reminds Contractors That Formatting Rules Matter

In FI Consulting, Inc., B-423274 (April 11, 2025​), FI Consulting, Inc. (FIC) protested its elimination from a procurement for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program support services after the agency rejected its proposal for including a company logo (a picture containing text) on its cover page—an act the agency deemed…

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Corrective Action Doesn’t Mean a Do-Over: GAO Okays Narrow Scope of Proposal Revisions

The Mission Essential Group, LLC (MEG) protested the scope of corrective action by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) following a previous protest involving a linguist support services procurement. In The Mission Essential Group, LLC, B-421745.4 (April 2, 2025​), MEG claimed that the agency’s approach, which allowed only limited proposal revisions…

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SAM Error? You’re Out—Court of Federal Claims Slams the Door on Proposal Slipups

In Analysis, Studies, and Training International, LLC, et al. v. United States, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Nos. 24-1720 & 25-76 (Consolidated) (April 14, 2025)​, two offerors were excluded from an Air Force procurement for drone training support after failing to meet SAM.gov requirements tied to women-owned small business (WOSB)…

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Court of Federal Claims Says Procurement Integrity Act Violation Doesn’t Doom Procurement

In a high-stakes procurement for medical services at the southern U.S. border, incumbent contractor Loyal Source challenged the handling by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of alleged Procurement Integrity Act (PIA) violations and bias after a Washington Post article and whistleblower letters revealed internal details about the ongoing…