Agency-Level Protest

An agency-level protest is a written objection to a procurement action filed directly with the contracting agency. While agencies must have procedures for handling protests, agency-level protests are less formal than GAO or COFC protests and do not trigger automatic stays. Agency protests are decided by the contracting officer or a higher-level official within the agency. They are typically faster and less expensive than GAO protests but may be perceived as less independent. Filing an agency protest does not preclude subsequent GAO or COFC protest if the protester is dissatisfied with the agency decision. Some contractors file agency protests first to give the agency an opportunity to resolve issues quickly before escalating to GAO.