What is the process for requesting an agency-level protest, and what are the timelines?

The process for requesting an agency-level protest involves submitting your protest directly to the federal agency, and the timelines depend on when you knew or should have known the basis for your protest. Since your company just received the award notification, you have 10 days after the basis of the protest is known or should have been known to file it with the agency, according to FAR 33.103(e). If your protest were based on an impropriety apparent in the solicitation itself, it would have needed to be filed before the closing date for proposals.

To file, you typically submit a written protest to the contracting officer (CO or KO). The FAR does not prescribe a specific format, but it is standard practice to clearly state your grounds for protest, including how the agency violated procurement law or regulation. You should also include all relevant documents and information supporting your claims. Agencies are required to make their best efforts to resolve agency-level protests within 35 days after the protest is filed, as stated in FAR 33.103(g).