I lost two federal opportunities this month and requested a debrief for both. One was a GSA Schedule order for court reporting services, NAICS 561210, issued as an RFQ. The other was a small business set-aside RFQ for legal support services, also NAICS 561210, below the simplified acquisition threshold.
The contracting officer for the GSA order gave me a quick call and said our price was too high. The contracting officer for the simplified acquisition told me that no debrief was required since the procurement was under FAR Part 13. I know that FAR 15.506 requires a postaward debriefing, but I'm confused about what I am owed under FAR 8 (for GSA Schedule orders) or FAR 13 (for simplified acquisitions).
What are the rules for debriefs when the award is under FAR 8 or FAR 13? How does the protest clock work if the agency says no formal debrief is required?