GAO’s recent dismissal of the protest filed by Worrell Contracting Company highlights several important lessons for government contractors. Worrell Contracting Company, Inc., B‑423208, Jan. 22, 2025, involved a procurement conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The agency had set the proposal submission date as 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on September 27. However, approximately 8 hours before the proposal submission deadline—at 11:39 p.m. on September 26, the agency issued an amendment that was posted to SAM.gov. The amendment provided a revised price schedule and also extended the proposal submission due date to September 30. Worrell apparently did not notice the SAM.gov posting and proceeded to submit its proposal by the initial September 27 due date. Worrell’s submission failed to acknowledge the amendment, as required by the solicitation. The VA eliminated Worrell’s proposal and made award to another offeror. Worrell protested its elimination on December 2—more than a month after the proposal due date had passed—primarily arguing that the award was improper “because the late posting of the amendment caused an unfair disadvantage and impacted the fairness of the procurement process.” Worrell further argued that “the timing of the amendment did not allow for proper or effective notice to all offerors, which is violation of fair competition principles and section 15.203 of the FAR.” Continue Reading Dismissal of Protest Reminds Contractors that Solicitation Flaws Must Be Protested Before the Proposal Due Date

Cherie Owen
State Department Pauses Almost All Foreign Assistance Funding
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, aimed at ensuring U.S. foreign assistance is “fully aligned” with the administration’s foreign policy goals. The Order called for an immediate 90-day pause on all foreign development assistance, applicable to all assistance funding for foreign countries, NGOs, international organizations, and federal contractors.Continue Reading State Department Pauses Almost All Foreign Assistance Funding
December 2024 Bid Protest Sustain of the Month: Protester’s Persistence Pays Off
The following is an installment in Crowell & Moring’s Bid Protest Sustain of the Month Series. In this series, Crowell’s Government Contracts Practice will keep you up to date with a summary of the most notable bid protest sustain decision each month. Below, Crowell Consultant Cherie Owen discusses Spatial Front, Inc., B-422058.4, B-422058.5, Dec. 6, 2024, 2024 CPD ¶ 30, in which GAO sustained a protest where the agency awarded a contract under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) but the required services were outside the scope of the awardee’s FSS contract.Continue Reading December 2024 Bid Protest Sustain of the Month: Protester’s Persistence Pays Off