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Title 31, Money and FinanceRelease 119-102

§3556 Nonexclusivity of Remedies; Matters Included in Agency Record

Title 31 › SUBTITLE III — FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT › CHAPTER 35 — ACCOUNTING AND COLLECTION › SUBCHAPTER V — PROCUREMENT PROTEST SYSTEM › § 3556

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Comptroller General does not get sole control over bid protests. Interested parties can still protest to the contracting agency or bring a case in the United States Court of Federal Claims. If a protest under this subchapter relates to a procurement and a court action follows, the reports required by sections 3553(b)(2) and 3554(e)(1) and any decision or recommendation from the Comptroller General must be included in the agency record the court can review.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §3556

Money and Finance, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

This subchapter does not give the Comptroller General exclusive jurisdiction over protests, and nothing contained in this subchapter shall affect the right of any interested party to file a protest with the contracting agency or to file an action in the United States Court of Federal Claims. In any such action based on a procurement or proposed procurement with respect to which a protest has been filed under this subchapter, the reports required by section 3553(b)(2) and 3554(e)(1) of this title with respect to such procurement or proposed procurement and any decision or recommendation of the Comptroller General under this subchapter with respect to such procurement or proposed procurement shall be considered to be part of the agency record subject to review.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–320, which directed the amendment of this section by striking “a court of the United States or” in first sentence, was executed by striking “a district court of the United States or” after “to file an action in” in first sentence to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1992—Pub. L. 102–572 substituted “United States Court of Federal Claims” for “United States Claims Court”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–320 effective Jan. 1, 2001, see section 12(f) of Pub. L. 104–320, set out as a Nonexclusivity of GAO Remedies note below.

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 911 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 171 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to any protest filed after Jan. 14, 1985, see section 2751(b) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 4751 of Title 10, Armed Forces. Nonexclusivity of GAO Remedies Pub. L. 104–320, § 12(f), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3876, provided that: “In the event that the bid protest jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States is terminated pursuant to subsection (d) [set out as a Sunset Provision note under section 1491 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure], then section 3556 of title 31, United States Code, shall be amended by striking ‘a court of the United States or’ in the first sentence.” [Bid protest jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States terminated on Jan. 1, 2001, pursuant to section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104–320.]

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 3556

Title 31, Money and Finance

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102