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B-311308 1 (2008-06-05)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadamb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: jA O GComptroller General countab lty *ntegrity ReiabIty of the United States United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 D .. Decision Matter of: Advanced Seal Technology, Inc. File: B-311308 Date: June 5, 2008 Thomas Doepker for the protester. Mike Walters, Esq., Defense Logistics Agency, for the agency. Eric M. Ransom, Esq., and Christine S. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest that offeror was deprived of a reasonable opportunity to qualify its alternate item is denied where, although the procuring agency failed to promptly notify offeror of deficiencies in its item, the record shows that the offeror did not suffer competitive prejudice as a result. DECISION Advanced Seal Technology, Inc. (AST) protests the issuance of an order to Quality Control Corporation by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC), under request for quotations No. (RFQ) SPM7M3-07-T-DO27 for seal assemblies, National Stock Number 4320-01-276-0822 (NSN 0822). We deny the protest. NSN 0822 is a critical application item,' thus, a designated Engineering Support Activity (ESA) is required to approve all sources. DLA Instruction 3200.1. In this case, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division is the ESA responsible for approval. The approval process consists of the evaluation of a technical data package (TDP) supplied by the potential offeror which, if found satisfactory, results in conditional approval pending an installation test to ensure the fit and function of the proposed alternate item. If the installation test is also satisfactory, the alternate item is approved and the offeror is listed as a qualified source. The only sources 'A critical application item is an item the failure of which could injure personnel or jeopardize a vital agency mission. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) § 46.203.