GAO Denies, Dismisses in Part LightBox Challenge of CostQuest FCC Map Award
The GAO denied and dismissed in part LightBox's bid protest of the FCC's contract with CostQuest to build a broadband serviceable location fabric for the agency's new broadband maps, in a decision released Friday. The agency denied LightBox’s protest alleging…
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the FCC “failed to consider that data rights offered by the awardee were inconsistent with data rights information contained in the protester's proposal.” It denied and dismissed in part LightBox's challenge that CostQuest "materially misrepresented terms of license agreements it held with a third party." GAO also dismissed LightBox's protest alleging CostQuest can't "license certain data" to the FCC because it's licensed from a third party. CostQuest is “pleased with the GAO’s decision and findings,” emailed Vice President-Business Development Mike Wilson: The decision "means no delays going forward for the FCC’s updated national broadband map" or for implementation of NTIA’s broadband, equity, access, and deployment program. "Obviously, we're disappointed," said LightBox CEO Eric Frank, and "we'll consider our options related to the areas of the protests that weren't given consideration." The FCC is "pleased that GAO has affirmed the FCC’s selection of a vendor to build the broadband serviceable location fabric," emailed a spokesperson: "Now we can proceed with the development of this key element of improved mapping."