The protester emailed its proposal to addresses posted in the solicitation’s System for Award Management (SAM) notice. GAO affirmed the agency’s rejection of the proposal. The protester should've used the email addresses in the solicitation’s submission instructions, not the addresses in SAM.
Correct Solutions, LLC, GAO B-421533
- Different Email Addresses – The solicitation required offerors to email proposal to the contracting officer and contract specialist. The protester emailed its proposal to the CO and specialist. But the protester used the email addresses listed in the SAM notification. The addresses in SAM were different than the addresses listed in the solicitation. Due to the email snafu, the agency rejected the protester’s proposal us untimely.
- Protester Should’ve Used Addresses in Solicitation – The protester argued it used the addresses in SAM, so rejection of its proposal was unreasonable. GAO wasn’t persuaded. The solicitation’s submission instructions directed offerors to submit proposals to the contracting officer and contract specialist. The instructions provided the email addresses for each official. The protester should have followed the submission instructions. Instead, the protester ignored the instructions and used different emails from SAM.
Correct is represented by Luke F. Piotek and Raven A. Bourque of Roedel Parsons Blache Fontana Piontek & Pisano. The agency is represented by William J. Selinger of the Department of Homeland Security. GAO attorneys Paul N. Wengert and Tania Calhoun participated in the decision.
--Case summary by Craig LaChance, Senior Editor