GAO says SAIC can still compete for command, control prototype contract
Gettyimages.com/ Dragos Condrea
By
Nick Wakeman
Lockheed Martin alleged an organizational conflict-of-interest at Science Applications International Corp., but an investigation by the Air Force found nothing objectionable.
Lockheed Martin’s attempt to get a competitor removed from the competition to build a tactical command-and-control prototype systems for the Air Force has fallen short.
The Government Accountability Office denied Lockheed’s protest that Science Applications International Corp. had an organizational conflict-of-interest and should have been deemed ineligible for the contract.
Lockheed Martin argued the Air Force did not adequately investigate the alleged conflict, but GAO disagreed and backed the Air Force's probe and ruling that SAIC did not have a conflict.
GAO also denied another Lockheed challenge that the solicitation did not have sufficient information for bidders to compete intelligently.
The competition involves building prototypes of tactical operation center systems as part of the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System. The Air Force uses the systems to support tactical command-and-control features that need datalinks and connections to a variety of sensors.
Lockheed’s challenge came in the second round of a two-phase procurement. The Air Force wants an integrator to bring the various connections and systems together.
The Air Force has not made an award yet, but can now move forward on doing so. No value for the contract is available.