[Protest of USDA Rejection of Bid for Camera Installation]

A firm protested the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) rejection of its bid for camera installation, contending that USDA improperly rejected its bid as nonresponsive, since it failed to include a bid guarantee with its bid package. GAO held that USDA properly rejected the protester's bid as nonresponsive, since: (1) it did not include the required bid guarantee; and (2) there was no independent evidence that the protester submitted the bid guarantee prior to bid opening. Accordingly, the protest was denied.