I hate to pile on again but it seems like the Fac Rep didn’t do you too many favors. The you can’t go to a tower with radar if you wash out without a center with D’s but no radar cert is just not true. That used to be a lazy/easy answer some people would say, but if you look at those NEST meeting recaps before they pulled them all down, there were plenty examples of center D-2 training failures (D certs but no R’s) who went to level 5 and 6 up/downs. There are plenty of examples of people who were off the street hires on the local N90 bid who went to low level up/downs too with no radar certs there.
I understand you wanting to stay in the area though so hopefully still have a 2154 federal retirement job is good enough consolation. Or you can try to reapply but I don’t think you can request a facility as you would probably only qualify for a OTS bid, and have to do the OKC screen and random facility placement bullshit. It’s crap that 52 weeks as a D side does not count toward the previous experience bid, D side at a busy center must be as hard/busy as a small tower you can get the 52 weeks at.