31 USC § 3552 - Protests by interested parties concerning procurement actions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t31/s3552"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "31 USC § 3552 - Protests by interested parties concerning procurement actions"
title_number: 31
title_name: "MONEY AND FINANCE"
section_number: "3552"
section_name: "Protests by interested parties concerning procurement actions"
chapter_number: 35
chapter_name: "ACCOUNTING AND COLLECTION"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "PROCUREMENT PROTEST SYSTEM"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VII, § 2741(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1199; amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 4(f)(1)(L), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1362; Pub. L. 103–355, title X, § 10005(d), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 104–106, div. E, title LVI, § 5603, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 700; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title III, § 326(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1848.)"
---


# § 3552. Protests by interested parties concerning procurement actions

**(a)** A protest concerning an alleged violation of a procurement statute or regulation shall be decided by the Comptroller General if filed in accordance with this subchapter.

**(b)**

**(1)** In the case of an agency tender official who is an interested party under section 3551(2)(B) of this title, the official may file a protest in connection with the public-private competition for which the official is an interested party. At the request of a majority of the employees of the Federal agency who are engaged in the performance of the activity or function subject to such public-private competition, the official shall file a protest in connection with such public-private competition unless the official determines that there is no reasonable basis for the protest.

**(2)** The determination of an agency tender official under paragraph (1) whether or not to file a protest is not subject to administrative or judicial review. An agency tender official shall provide written notification to Congress whenever the official makes a determination under paragraph (1) that there is no reasonable basis for a protest.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VII, § 2741(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1199; amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 4(f)(1)(L), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1362; Pub. L. 103–355, title X, § 10005(d), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 104–106, div. E, title LVI, § 5603, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 700; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title III, § 326(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1848.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1996— struck out at end “An interested party who has filed a protest under section 111(f) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 () with respect to a procurement or proposed procurement may not file a protest with respect to that procurement under this subchapter.”

1994— and  amended section identically, substituting “section 111(f)” for “section 111(h)” and “759(f)” for “759(h)”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by  applicable to protests filed under this subchapter that relate to studies initiated under Office of Management and Budget Circular A–76 on or after the end of the 90-day period beginning on , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 180 days after , see , div. E, title LVII, , .

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

For effective date and applicability of amendment by , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

### Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to any protest filed after , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

### Construction of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by  not to be construed to authorize the use of a protest under this subchapter with regard to a decision made by an agency tender official, see , set out as a note under .