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 2002-12-17 monographic deposited born digital 8 p. GA 1.13:B-291275 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-291275 P0b002ee18fd45789 f:291275 DGPO 2016-06-23 2016-06-23 GAOREPORTS-B-291275 machine generated eng fdlp COMPTROLLERDECISION GAOREPORTS-B-291275 B-291275 Comptroller General Decision 1. Contracting agency did not induce or coerce the protester into raising its proposed labor rates where the agency was reasonably concerned with protester's ability to attract and retain incumbent personnel, as the protester proposed, due to its low proposed labor rates and asked the protester during discussions to explain how it intended to attract and retain incumbent personnel at the rates proposed; the protester's decision to increase its proposed labor rates reflected the exercise of the firm's business judgment. 2. Protest that agency's negotiating techniques led to an impermissible auction is denied; agency's disclosure that an offeror's proposed labor rates were in certain instances materially lower than current wage rates did not constitute prohibited communications. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-291275/html/GAOREPORTS-B-291275.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-291275/pdf/GAOREPORTS-B-291275.pdf GAO/B-291275 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-291275 Comptroller General Decision GAO/B-291275; Engineering Services Unlimited, Inc., B-291275; B-291275.2, December 17, 2002;