United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao_comptroller_general legislative 2016-06-23 U.S. Government Publishing Office 1997-03-31 monographic deposited born digital 9 p. GA 1.13:B-275803 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-275803 P0b002ee18fd4ab5b f:275803 DGPO 2016-06-23 2016-06-23 GAOREPORTS-B-275803 machine generated eng fdlp COMPTROLLERDECISION GAOREPORTS-B-275803 B-275803 Comptroller General Decision

1. The issuance of an unsigned lease document by a contracting officer to an offeror does not constitute an award of a contract to that offeror where the letter accompanying the lease clearly indicates that no contract will arise unless the government signs the lease and the government never signed the lease.<p/>2. An agency properly reopened discussions to address existing proposal deficiencies with, and obtain proposal revisions from, all offerors in the competition where no proposal is acceptable under the solicitation and eligible for award, and the solicitation has been amended in a material manner; under such circumstances, there is no improper technical leveling in reopening discussions.<p/>3. Where a solicitation for leased space defines a late proposal as one received after the due date for submission of best and final offers (BAFO), a protest alleging that a proposal is late if received after the date for submission of initial proposals, but before the BAFO date, constitutes a protest based upon an alleged impropriety in a solicitation apparent prior to the time set for receipt of initial proposals, which is untimely if not filed prior to the time set for receipt of initial proposals.<p/>4. An ambiguity concerning the identity of an offeror or the possible improper transfer of the offeror's proposal during the course of an ongoing procurement may properly be resolved during discussions prior to award. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-275803/html/GAOREPORTS-B-275803.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-275803/pdf/GAOREPORTS-B-275803.pdf GAO/B-275803 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-275803 Comptroller General Decision GAO/B-275803; Dorris, Helen, and William McMurtry, B-275803; B-275803.2,; Title 41 Section 253a(b)(B)(ii) 41 U.S.C. 253a(b)(B)(ii)