N.M. Code R. § 7.1.6.10 – Filing of Protest

A. Protest must be written: Protests must be in writing and addressed to the contracts officer, administrative services division, department of health, 1190 St. Francis Drive, P.O. Box 26110, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-6110.
B. Contents: The protest shall:
(1) include the name and address of the protestant;
(2) identify the contracting activity and the number of the solicitation, if any, and, if a contract has been awarded, the contract number;
(3) contain a statement of the grounds for protest;
(4) include supporting exhibits, evidence or documents to substantiate any claim unless not available within the filing time in which case the expected available date shall be indicated; and
(5) specify the ruling requested from the central purchasing office or procuring unit of the department.
C. Pleadings: No formal briefs or other technical forms of pleadings or motion are required, but protests and other submissions should be concise, logically arranged, and direct.
D. Time limit: Protests shall be submitted within fifteen (15) calendar days after the facts or occurrences giving rise thereto.
E. Appointment of hearing officer: Upon the filing of a timely protest, the department shall designate a hearing officer. The hearing officer shall not have been directly involved in the protested procurement and, to the extent possible, be disinterested and impartial.
F. Additional information: If additional information is required by the hearing officer from the protestant, the department, or from interested parties, such information shall be submitted within the time period established by the hearing officer. Failure to timely comply may result in consideration and resolution of the protest without the untimely-filed information.
[8/12/85, 7/7/87, 1/1/97; Recompiled 10/31/01]