[Protest of MARAD Contract Award for Drydocking]

A firm protested the Maritime Administration's (MARAD) contract award for drydocking, contending that the: (1) MARAD improperly rejected its bid as nonresponsive for failing to acknowledge a solicitation amendment, since it did not receive the amendment until after bid opening; and (2) amendment was not material. GAO held that: (1) there was no basis to disturb the contract award, since the protester did not show that MARAD failed to comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements for notice and distribution of amendments; and (2) MARAD properly rejected the protester's bid as nonresponsive, since it failed to acknowledge a material amendment. Accordingly, the protest was denied.