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By: Jake Noe and Brad Reaves As we turn the calendar to a new year, now is the perfect moment to take stock of the GAO’s bid protest activity from 2025—and, more importantly, what it may signal for contractors heading into 2026. Below, we break down the numbers, highlight the most common grounds on which protests were sustained, and offer practical, nonlegal observations about how these trends could affect your business strategy. The Big Picture: Fewer Protests, Similar Outcomes
In 2025, a total of 1,688 cases were filed at the GAO—a 6% decrease from 2024 and part of a broader, multiyear decline in filings. That total includes 1,617 bid protests, 24 cost claims, and 47 requests for reconsideration. During the same period, the GAO closed 1,737 cases. Of the 1,617 protests filed, 53 were sustained, resulting in a 14% sustain rate, down slightly from 2024. At first glance, that number may seem discouraging. However, the more telling metric is the effectiveness rate, which held steady at 52%, exactly where it stood the prior year. This combination—a lower sustain rate but an unchanged effectiveness rate—suggests a key trend: agencies increasingly opted to take corrective action rather than fully litigate protests. In practical terms, agencies appear more willing to reevaluate proposals and strengthen their evaluation records rather than defend questionable decisions outright. For contractors, this means that the odds of achieving a favorable outcome remain slightly better than a coin flip—even without a formal sustain decision. Where Protesters Are Winning: Top Sustained Grounds The GAO identified the three most common grounds on which it sustained protests in 2025:
The first two grounds are familiar mainstays. What stands out is the third. An unreasonable rejection of a proposal has not appeared among the top grounds for sustained protests in at least five years, making its resurgence noteworthy. Contractors considering a protest should keep this in mind: where the facts support it, aligning protest arguments with one of these wellworn—and historically successful—grounds can materially improve the likelihood of success. Key Takeaways for Contractors In summary:
Experience Matters in Bid Protests Another way to maximize the likelihood of a successful challenge is to work with experienced bid protest counsel. In 2025 alone, the Reaves GovCon Group Bid Protest Team brought or defended more than 20 bid protests involving awarded contracts with a combined value exceeding $2 billion. If you believe a contract you bid on may have been improperly awarded, our team would be happy to review your situation and discuss your options. Email Brad Reaves or Jake Noe Think outside the beltway. Disclaimer: Nothing in this article is, or is intended to be, legal advice. Comments are closed.
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