GAO sanctions contractor

In an unusual action, the Government Accountability Office has sanctioned a federal contractor for filing too many baseless protests.

The GAO has barred Latvian Connection LLC from filing any protests for a year.

The GAO said nearly all of the 446 protests the company filed in the last five years were dismissed because the company had no legal standing to protest in those cases or, in a few cases, the protests were dismissed for having no merit.

“Because of these abusive litigation practices, and to protect the integrity of our bid protest forum and provide for the orderly and expedited resolution of protests, we are suspending Latvian Connection from protesting to our office for a period of one year,” the GAO wrote in its order.

Kevin Barnes, chief executive of Latvian Connection, told Federal News Radio that the company files protests because government agencies are violating the Small Business Act.

More information: GAO order http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/679177.pdf

NASA revises property custody reporting

The General Services Administration has issued an amendment to its Alliant 2 Unrestricted and Small Business Requests for Proposals.

GSA extended the deadline for submission of offers by two weeks, to Sept. 12 for the Small Business offers and Sept. 13 for the Unrestricted offers.

The GSA told Federal Times that the extension was to allow vendors more time to obtain templates for the bidding.

The Alliant 2 Unrestricted and Alliant 2 Small Business IT services contracts are expected to generate up to $50 billion in sales.

More information: GSA Interact blog: http://goo.gl/B06CdN
Federal Times story: http://goo.gl/DmR2fm

SBA accepts M-P applications 10/1

GSA adds professional services to category management

“Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” rule effective Oct. 25

DoD falls short

SBA makes grants for small business support

DFARS change eases SBIR reporting

GSA computer BPAs

Column: Now is the Time for a Joint Venture Checkup

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