Union Obtains Protest Relief In District Court

In Nat'l Treasury Employees Union v. IRS (D.D.C., Feb. 22, 2006), the union successfully challenged the decision of IRS to contract out mailroom functions without holding a public-private competition as required by the 2004 IRS appropriations act. Of most interest was the finding of the district court that the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 1491(b) giving the Court of Federal Claims exclusive jurisdiction over protests did not apply because the union was not an "interested party" under that provision, i.e., an actual or prospective bidder.