BNUMBER:  B-274052
DATE:  August 13, 1996
TITLE:  Paging Network of Washington, Inc.

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Matter of:Paging Network of Washington, Inc.

File:     B-274052

Date:August 13, 1996

Arthur J. Robinson III, for the protester.
Gena E. Cadieux, Esq., Department of Energy, for the agency.
Jerold D. Cohen, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, 
participated in the preparation of the decision.

DIGEST

1.  Protests filed on and after August 8, 1996, are subject to the 
timeliness criteria set out in General Accounting Office's (GAO) Bid 
Protest Regulations as amended by the Final Rule published in the 
Federal Register on July 26, 61 Fed. Reg. 39039-47 (1996) (to be 
codified at 4 C.F.R. part 21).  Therefore, a protest of other than an 
apparent impropriety in an invitation for bids must be filed not later 
than 10 calendar days after the basis of protest is or should have 
been known, whichever is earlier, as required by amended section 
21.2(a)(2), 61 Fed. Reg. 39043 (to be codified at 4 C.F.R.  sec.  
21.2(a)(2)). 

2.  Since Final Rule amending GAO's Bid Protest Regulations was 
published in the Federal Register on July 26, 1996, vendors are 
charged with notice of its contents--including GAO's revised 
timeliness rules--as of that date.

DECISION

Paging Network of Washington, Inc. (PageNet) protests the rejection of 
its bid under Department of Energy (DOE) invitation for bids (IFB) No. 
DE-FB01-96AD71151 for paging service.  We dismiss the protest as 
untimely.

The IFB required that the contractor be capable of providing local 
service within a 75-mile radius of any DOE site needing service.  In 
its bid, PageNet advised that no paging company was capable of 
providing that level of service, and that PageNet, which covers more 
than 90 percent of the U.S., was "the most capable of providing the 
necessary coverage."  DOE rejected PageNet's bid because of that 
response, and in its protest PageNet essentially reiterates the advice 
submitted with the bid.
 
PageNet's protest was filed in our Office on August 8, 1996.  The 
protest therefore is subject to the timeliness criteria set out in our 
Bid Protest Regulations as amended by the Final Rule published in the 
Federal Register on July 26 (applicable to protests filed on or after 
August 8), 61 Fed. Reg. 39039-47 (1996) (to be codified at 4 C.F.R. 
part 21).  Section 21.2(a)(2), 61 Fed. Reg. 39043 (to be codified at 
4 C.F.R.  sec.  21.2(a)(2)), requires that a protest of other than an 
apparent impropriety in an IFB be filed not later than 10 calendar 
days after the basis of protest is or should have been known to the 
protester, whichever is earlier.[1]

PageNet learned that its bid was rejected and the reason why in a July 
19 telephone conversation with the contract specialist.[2]  Since the 
protest to our Office was filed more than 10 days later, it is 
untimely.  In this respect, the Final Rule amending our Regulations 
was published in the Federal Register on July 26, so that vendors are 
charged with notice of its contents--including our revised timeliness 
rules--as of that date.  See Domation, Inc., B-228221, Sept. 28, 1987, 
87-2 CPD  para.  311.

We further point out that PageNet should have raised its concern about 
the 75-mile specification before submitting the bid.  Section 
21.2(a)(1) of our Bid Protest Regulations, 61 Fed. Reg. 39043 (to be 
codified at 4 C.F.R.  sec.  21.2(a)(1)), requires that a protest of an 
apparent solicitation impropriety be filed before bid opening.  (The 
July 26 Final Rule did not change this timeliness requirement.)  The 
reason for that regulation is to give parties a fair opportunity to 
present their cases and resolve protests expeditiously without unduly 
disrupting or delaying the procurement process.  Air Inc.--Recon., 
B-238220.2, Jan. 29, 1990, 90-1 CPD  para.  129.

Finally, whether the awardee fact complies with the requirement in 
issue is a matter of contract administration, which we do not review 
as part of our bid protest function.  Bid Protest Regulations, section 
21.5(a), 61 Fed. Reg. 39045 (to be codified at 4 C.F.R.  sec.  21.5(a)).  

The protest is dismissed.

Comptroller General
of the United States

1. Protests filed before August 8 were subject to a 14-day rule.  See 
4 C.F.R.  sec.  21.2(a)(2) (1996).

2. PageNet received a letter from DOE confirming that advice on July 
25.