(g)(1) The Office of General Counsel-General Law Division serves as the liaison for protests lodged with the Government Accountability Office (GAO); is designated as the office responsible for all protests within the Department of Health and Human Services; and serves as the notification point with GAO for all protests.

(2) The contracting officer will follow the direction of the Operating Division's protest control officer for responding to protests whether they are filed with GAO or directly with the contracting officer.

(f)(1) Protests to the contracting officer must be in writing. The contracting officer is authorized to make the determination, using the criteria in Federal Acquisition Regulation 33.104(b), to award a contract notwithstanding the protest after obtaining the concurrence of the contracting activity's protest control officer and consulting with the appropriate legal office.