Elementar Americas, Inc.

A firm protested Forest Service issuance of a purchase order for a "112-302-15 CE Instruments Model Flash EA1112 Combustion Nitrogen/Carbon Analyzer, or equal," contending that the Forest Service unreasonably determined that its offered product was not equal to the brand-name product. GAO held that the Forest Service did not reasonably consider the protester's descriptive literature describing the characteristics of its product. Accordingly, the protest was sustained, and GAO recommended that the protester be reimbursed its quote preparation costs, as well as its cost for filing and pursuing the protest.