No Easy Way to Protest a Losing Proposal

No one likes to lose a big contract, but it has happened to every company providing goods and services to other businesses and governments.

For contracts with private businesses, there’s very little recourse. After all, a private business can choose to do business with whomever they would like.

When it comes to government contracting, however, it is a completely different story. The government is spending tax dollars – your money – and there are pages and pages of rules and regulations as to how those agencies must spend those dollars.

Many are spending millions, even billions, of dollars every year on all types of goods and services from cybersecurity protection to toilet paper.

That is at the local and state level. The federal government can authorize more than a trillion dollars in contracted spending in one indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

Government contracts can positively impact a company for years to come, which is why so many companies focus on them.

While a company can rebound from losing a government contract, it still can cost thousands of dollars to put together a proposal or bid for a government contract.

If a business feels like the process was flawed or the award was in error, there are steps the company can take, but it’s detailed and difficult, and it may cost more than the company spent on the proposal in the first place.

The attorneys at The Orlando Law Group can help you. Our firm specializes in business and contract laws and can help any business looking to protest an award from local or federal governments.

What can you protest?

Technically, a business can protest whatever you would like. That said, filing frivolous protests is a waste of money. Plus, while the agency certainly cannot overtly use a past protest against you in a future solicitation, it is human nature to remember a frivolous protest.

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