[Protest of EPA Bid Rejection]

A firm protested the rejection of its bid under an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) solicitation. EPA rejected the bid as nonresponsive because the protester failed to: (1) submit required bid samples; (2) bid on two contract option periods; and (3) acknowledge a solicitation amendment. The protester contended that: (1) the requirement for bid samples was not placed prominently within the solicitation; (2) there was no requirement for bids on the option periods; and (3) it did not receive the solicitation amendment. GAO held that: (1) EPA properly rejected the bid as nonresponsive for failure to submit the samples; and (2) since the bid was properly rejected as nonresponsive for failure to submit the samples, it would not consider the other aspects of the protest. Accordingly, the protest was summarily denied.