DREN decision coming

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The General Accounting Office will issue its decision in July on the controversial Defense Research and Engineering Network contract. Three of the four losing bidders on the $450 million contract are protesting the Defense Information Systems Agency award of the contract in April to WorldCom Inc., Clinton, Miss.

The General Accounting Office will issue its decision in July on the controversial Defense Research and Engineering Network contract. Three of the four losing bidders on the $450 million contract are protesting the Defense Information Systems Agency award of the contract in April to WorldCom Inc., Clinton, Miss.

The protesters ? Sprint Communications Corp. of Westwood, Kan., Global Crossing Ltd. of Bermuda, and AT&T Corp. of New York ? cited inconsistencies in the evaluation criteria DISA used to award the contract.

Global Crossing won the contract last summer, only to see it withdrawn when the losing bidders complained.

Through DREN, DISA wants to bring long-haul telecommunications to more than 6,000 scientists and engineers at Defense Department laboratories, test centers, universities and industrial sites.

GAO will issue its decision by July 22, said Dan Gordon, the agency's associate general counsel.

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