Raytheon protests ERAM RFP

Raytheon Co. is protesting the acquisition process for the Federal Aviation Administration's En Route Automation Modernization contract, which could be worth as much as $1 billion.

Raytheon of Lexington, Mass., protested the ERAM competition against incumbent Lockheed Martin Corp. because "we believe the playing field isn't level," said Raytheon spokeswoman Blanche Necessary. However, she declined further comment because the legal proceeding is still being resolved.

Industry sources said Raytheon was not happy with the language of the screening information request, the FAA's version of a request for proposals. The SIR was released March 15, with responses due April 15.

ERAM is the FAA's program to overhaul and replace decades-old software that controls high-altitude flights through U.S. airspace.

This is the second protest that Raytheon has filed involving ERAM. The company filed a protest in February 2001 with FAA over the agency's announcement that it would award a contract to Lockheed Martin without running a competition. That protest led to a ruling that the FAA had moved prematurely to award the ERAM contract. After the decision, the agency began a competitive bidding process.