Dissecting GAO's Bid Protest 'Effectiveness Rate'

Abstract

This paper reports on research into what happens in procurements that are protested to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, after GAO dismisses the bid protest because the contracting agency has advised GAO that it is taking 'corrective action.'

The Government Accountability Office recently issued its annual bid protest report, which contains data of great interest to agencies, contractors and counsel who practice in front of GAO. Transparency has been a hallmark of GAO and its bid protest process ever since the office, then called the General Accounting Office, issued its first published bid protest decision, Autocar Sales & Serv. Co., 5 Comp. Gen. 712, in 1926.

Keywords: bid protest, GAO, effectiveness, corrective action

JEL Classification: H57