1. Home
  2. |Insights
  3. |"Piggy-Backer" Falls at GAO

"Piggy-Backer" Falls at GAO

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 06.01.05

In VSE Corp; Johnson Controls World Svs. Inc. (May 23, 2005 http://www.gao.gov/decisions/bidpro/2904523.pdf), GAO held that Johnson Controls could not circumvent GAO's strict timeliness rules by "piggy-backing" an untimely protest of a sole source award by the Department of Homeland Security onto a timely protest previously filed by VSE. Nonetheless, GAO found the sole source bridge construction contract was improper because DHS failed to prepare a required written justification and approval, and it expressly held that Johnson Controls, as well as VSE, must be given an opportunity to demonstrate an ability to satisfy DHS' requirement.

Contacts

Insights

Client Alert | 19 min read | 12.18.25

2025 GAO Bid Protest Annual Report: Where Have All the Protests Gone?

On December 12, 2025, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its annual report on bid protests for fiscal year 2025, containing the full statistics shown below:...