XL EagleGAO (Government Accountability Office)
GAO stands for Government Accountability Office. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. It audits federal programs and reports on how taxpayer money is spent.
GAO also decides bid protests. If a company believes an agency broke procurement rules in a solicitation or award, it can file a protest with GAO, which must issue a decision within 100 days.
Why it matters to a small contractor
GAO protests have strict deadlines, often 10 days from when you knew or should have known the reason to protest. Protests against the terms of a solicitation must usually be filed before bids are due. Ask for a debriefing quickly after a loss so you have the facts in time.
Example
A grounds company loses an award and learns in its debriefing that the agency ignored a stated evaluation factor. It files a GAO protest within the deadline.
GAO: common questions
How long do I have to file a GAO bid protest?
Generally 10 days after you knew or should have known the basis for the protest. Problems in the solicitation itself must be protested before the closing date.
Does GAO work for the President?
No. GAO is part of the legislative branch and works for Congress.
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