A firm protested the Army's rejection of its bid as nonresponsive after the Army determined that its equal product would not meet the four salient characteristics of the brand name product listed in the solicitation. GAO has held that: (1) bids offering equal products must conform to the salient characteristics of the brand name equipment to be considered responsive; (2) a bidder must submit suffi...

BIDS - RESPONSIVENESS - BRAND NAME OR EQUAL PROCUREMENT DIGEST: BID PROPOSING EQUAL PRODUCT IN RESPONSE TO BRAND NAME OR EQUAL INVITATION FOR BIDS IS NONRESPONSIVE WHEN IT FAILS TO ESTABLISH THAT THE PRODUCT WILL MEET ALL OF THE SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS SPECIFIED IN THE SOLICITATION. THE ARMY NOW CONTENDS THAT HEDCO'S BID FURTHER IS NONRESPONSIVE BECAUSE IT FAILED TO STATE WHETHER THE OFFERED MODEL...