B-199583: Jan 7, 1981

A company protested the rejection of a bid submitted in response to an invitation for bids (IFB) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The IFB stated that any bidder offering any product other than the specified brand name was required to fully describe the product in sufficient detail so as to ensure compliance with all requirements. The company argued that even though its product...

B-199583: Jan 7, 1981

BID PROPOSING "EQUAL" PRODUCT IN RESPONSE TO BRAND NAME OR EQUAL IFB WAS PROPERLY REJECTED AS NONRESPONSIVE SINCE PROPOSED PRODUCT DID NOT MEET ALL LISTED SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND BIDDER'S INSERTION OF WORD "EQUAL" DID NOT ESTABLISH THAT PRODUCT WOULD BE MODIFIED TO MEET SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS. 2. ISSUE OF WHETHER CERTAIN SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS APPEARING IN "BRAND NAME OR EQUAL" PURCHASE DESC...