FSH 6309.32 - FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION 
                  WO SUPPLEMENT 6309.32-2000-1
                      EFFECTIVE 02/11/2000

              FOREST SERVICE ACQUISITION REGULATION

           PART 4G33--PROTESTS, DISPUTES, AND APPEALS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sec.
                    Subpart 4G33.1--Protests

4G33.102    General.
4G33.103    Protests to the Agency.
4G33.104    Protests to the General Accounting Office.

              Subpart 4G33.2--Disputes and Appeals

4G33.203-70 Board of Contract Appeals Decisions.
4G33.212    Contracting Officer's Duties Upon Appeal.
4G33.214    Alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
                                 
            PART 4G33--PROTESTS, DISPUTES AND APPEALS
                                 
                    Subpart 4G33.1--Protests

4G33.102  General.
    (a) Protest procedures are described in the General 
Accounting Officer (GAO) publication "GAO Bid Protests: A 
Descriptive Guide."  It is electronically available on the World 
Wide Web (www, Internet) at the GAO homepage.
    (b) Comptroller General Decisions are available on the 
Internet.  Recent decisions are available at the GAO website and 
a comprehensive database is available through the Government 
Printing Office website.  Decisions of special interest to the 
Forest Service are posted at the Acquisition Management homepage, 
Service-wide Web (FSWeb, Intranet).
    (c) See FSAR Appendix A, Acquisition Information Available 
Electronically, annotated by FAR reference, for the URL addresses 
of these websites.
 
4G33.103  Protests to the Agency.
    (a) When a protest is filed with the Head of the Contracting 
Activity or with the contracting officer, an award shall not be 
made prior to the matter's being resolved unless authorized by 
the line officer (that is, District Ranger, Forest Supervisor, 
Regional Forester, Station Director) responsible for mission 
accomplishment, based on a written determination in accordance 
with FAR 33.103(f).
 
4G33.104  Protests to the General Accounting Office.
    (a) When the Washington Office, Director of Acquisition 
Management, receives telephone notice from the General Accounting 
Office (GAO) that a protest has been filed, generally on the day 
of filing, the Washington Office, Director of Acquisition 
Management, shall promptly notify Region and Station bid protest 
coordinators. The telephone notice is followed by a telegraph 
confirmation of the protest, which establishes due dates and 
includes instructions for providing information to interested 
parties.  The Washington Office, Director of Acquisition 
Management, converts the telegram into electronic form and sends 
it immediately to the appropriate Region or Station bid protest 
coordinator.
        (7) The Washington Office, Assistant Director for 
Operations, Acquisition Management, is the designated protest 
coordinator with GAO.  Regions and Stations, chiefs of 
contracting office, shall select protest coordinators and provide 
their names to the Washington Office coordinator.  Region and 
Station coordinators have the responsibility to ensure that 
protest files are complete and accurate, and are submitted within 
the required time allowed.
        (8) The USDA Office of General Counsel (OGC) located in 
Washington, D.C. is the designated counsel for all Forest Service 
protests.  The Washington OGC may work directly with local 
contracting officers and Regional coordinators.
    (b) Protests before Award
        (1) Requests for authorization to award a contract 
pending a protest shall be submitted to the Washington Office, 
Director of Acquisition Management, supported by a written 
finding by the line officer (that is, District Ranger, Forest 
Supervisor, Regional Forester, Station Director) responsible for 
mission accomplishment.
    (c) Protests after Award
        (2) Requests for authorization to commence or continue 
contract performance shall be submitted to the Washington Office, 
Director of Acquisition Management, supported by a written 
finding by the appropriate line officer.
 
              Subpart 4G33.2--Disputes and Appeals

4G33.203-70 Board of Contract Appeals Decisions.
 Various agency Board of Contract Appeals decisions are 
available through the World Wide Web (www, Internet).  (See 
Appendix A, Acquisition Information Available Electronically, 
annotated by FAR reference, for the URL addresses.)
 
4G33.212  Contracting Officer's Duties Upon Appeal.
 Work directly with the local Office of General Counsel to 
ensure that the appeal file is correct and complete.  Copies of 
appeal files may be requested by the Washington Office, Director 
of Acquisition Management, on a case-by-case basis.
 
4G33.214  Alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
 The ADR procedures for the Department of Agriculture is 
established by the AGBCA and can be found at the USDA Board of 
Contract Appeals homepage through the World Wide Web (www, 
Internet).  (See Appendix A, Acquisition Information Available 
Electronically, annotated by FAR reference, for the URL address.)