Agency Unreasonably Defended Conflicting Solicitation Provisions Instead of Taking Prompt Corrective Action; GAO B-415064.3, Veterans Electric LLC

Request that GAO recommend the agency reimburse the protester its costs of filing and pursing its protest is granted, where the agency defended the terms of its invitation for bids and delayed taking corrective action until after it submitted two agency reports, even though a reasonable inquiry would have shown that offerors could not comply with both the limitation on subcontracting and the IFB’s requirement that certain parts and labor be subcontracted to a large business.