[Protest of Failure To Receive FAA Contract Award]

A firm protested the rejection of its bid under a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) brand name or equal invitation for bids. FAA rejected the protester's bid as nonresponsive because it could not determine from the descriptive information submitted whether the protester's product met the required salient characteristics. The protester contended that any problems regarding the acceptability of its product could have been resolved after bid opening and that a preaward survey would have shown that its product complied with specifications. GAO held that: (1) the determination as to whether an equal product meets specified salient characteristics must be based on product information publicly available prior to bid opening; and (2) the protester's equal bid was properly rejected as nonresponsive because it did not meet all salient characteristics. Accordingly, the protest was denied.