The GAO has sustained a second protest based upon FedBid’s suspension of a contractor from its system.
For the second time in less than one week, the GAO held that the contractor’s suspension from FedBid–and resulting inability to bid on a contract–was improper because the matter was not referred to the SBA under the SBA’s Certificate of Competency procedures.
The GAO’s decision in Latvian Connection, LLC, B-410981 (April 6, 2015) involved a Department of the Interior RFQ for the fabrication and installation of mobile shelving system components. The procurement was conducted through FedBid’s electronic reverse auction system.
Latvian Connection, LLC, wished to compete for the award. However, in July 2014, FedBid suspended Latvian Connection’s FedBid user account. The FedBid suspension notice stated, in part: “System and Business Integrity: Latvian Connection has taken actions to repeatedly and purposely interfere with FedBid’s business relationships.”
Since Latvian Connection’s FedBid account was suspended, it was unable to compete for the procurement. Latvian Connection filed a GAO protest. It argued, in part, that its exclusion from the competition was a negative responsibility determination, which should have been referred to the SBA.
Keep reading this article at: http://smallgovcon.com/gaobidprotests/gao-doubles-down-on-fedbidcoc-ruling/