Ambiguous Solicitation Resulted in Nonresponsive Bids

The low bidder protested the rejection of its bid as nonresponsive and, after the agency reaffirmed the determination of nonresponsiveness, the third low bidder protested rejection of its bid. The solicitation was subject to conflicting reasonable interpretations and so inadequately expressed the agency's needs that it ensnared bidders into submitting nonresponsive bids. As a result, the solicitation should be canceled and the systems should be resolicited.