Protest Involving Solicitation Deficiencies

A company protested award to any firm other than itself on the bases of deficiencies in the solicitation and bid evaluation. The following deficiencies were noted: a discrepancy in bid submission requirements of the solicitation which could lead bidders to different conclusions was not a "minor inconsistency"; bid price submission instructions were deficient; award on an alternate bid basis would be improper without justification for such action; a requirement that bidders supply information having no bearing on bid evaluation was improper; and a requirement for approval by a trade association available only to association members was unduly restrictive. An allegation that the prospective awardee would not supply a conforming product was not considered as it involved a determination of responsibility. In view of deficiencies, the solicitation should be canceled and the procurement readvertised.