Half an inch determined the outcome of a $260 million Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) procurement in Joerns Healthcare, LLC v. United States, a bid protest in which the US Court of Federal Claims (COFC) enforced strict compliance with solicitation specifications. The court rejected the contractor’s reliance on industry standards, holding that unambiguous solicitation terms control evaluation outcomes when agencies verify compliance through stated measurement methods. For contractors competing in FAR Part 12 commercial item acquisitions and FAR Part 15 procurements, the decision reinforces that even minimal deviations from express requirements can render a proposal unacceptable.