Link: GAO Decision
Protestor: Aspen Consulting, LLC
Agency: Department of the Air Force
Disposition: Request for Reconsideration Denied.
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GAO Digest:
Request for reconsideration of prior decision dismissing protest for failure to file comments responding to agency report is denied where record is clear that protester neither submitted comments to our Office nor received an extension of time for filing within 10-day period permitted for submitting comments
General Counsel PC Highlight:
Aspen Consulting, LLC requested reconsideration of the GAO’s decision dismissing Aspen’s protest of the award of a contract to Healthcare Team Training LLC for patient safety program support. Aspen had requested an extension two days before the deadline to file its response to the agency report; the request was denied. It did not file its response by the due date, and its protest was therefore dismissed.
The GAO noted that the Bid Protest regulations require a protestor to file comments in response to the agency report, and that the GAO is required to dismiss a protest where no comments are filed. It therefore denied the request for reconsideration.
Protestors must strictly adhere to deadlines during the bid protest process. Failure to submit required documents by the deadline will be fatal to a protest.