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B-295463 1 (2005-02-23)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadiwl0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 


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 A                   0                                                 Comptroller General
K,    M Accountability * Integrity * Reliability                       of the United States
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548



           Decision


           Matter of: MTB Group, Inc.

           File:       B-295463

           Date:       February 23, 2005

           J. Randolph MacPherson, Esq., Halloran & Sage, for the protester.
           Angela Puri, Esq., Department of Housing and Urban Development, for the agency.
           Mary G. Curcio, Esq., and John M. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO,
           participated in the preparation of the decision.
           DIGEST

           Protest that conducting procurement using reverse auction format is impermissible
           because vendors' prices will be disclosed during the auction is denied; agency is
           conducting reverse auction under simplified acquisition procedures, which
           encourage use of innovative procedures and do not expressly prohibit disclosure of
           vendors' prices in implementing such procedures, and disclosure is not prohibited
           under the procurement integrity provisions of the Office of Federal Procurement
           Policy Act.
           DECISION

           MTB Group, Inc. protests that an online reverse auction (that is, an auction under
           which the lowest priced vendor will be issued a purchase order) being conducted by
           the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Real Estate Assessment
           Center (REAC), for housing inspection services, is improper because it requires the
           disclosure of vendors' prices during the auction.

           We deny the protest.

           HUD requires the rental housing units for which it is responsible to undergo annual
           physical inspections to ensure that they are fit for habitation. HUD is contracting for
           those services using an online reverse auction; indeed, HUD has issued a notice to
           potential participants indicating its intent to conduct reverse auctions for

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