Protest

A protest is a formal legal challenge to a government procurement action, typically filed by an unsuccessful bidder who believes the procurement process was flawed or the award decision was unreasonable. Protests can challenge the terms of a solicitation, the evaluation of proposals, or the award decision itself.

Protests can be filed with the contracting agency, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), or the Court of Federal Claims. GAO protests must be filed within specific timeframes: within 10 days of learning the basis of protest for post-award protests, or before the proposal deadline for pre-award challenges to solicitation terms.

Filing a protest triggers an automatic stay of contract performance (for GAO protests), giving the protester leverage. However, protests should be pursued strategically — they require clear legal grounds, can damage customer relationships, and have specific procedural requirements. GAO sustains approximately 15% of protests it decides on the merits.