[Protest of SCS Rejection of Bid as Nonresponsive]

A firm protested the Soil Conservation Service's (SCS) rejection of its low bid under an invitation for bids (IFB) for pipeline construction. SCS determined that the protester's bid was nonresponsive because the legal entity shown on the bid bond differed from that shown on the bid. GAO has held that bid bond requirements are a material part of an IFB which a contracting officer cannot waive as a minor informality. Accordingly, the protest was dismissed.