Northrop files protest over TSA infrastructure decision

Northrop Grumman Corp. is protesting the Transportation Security Administration's decision not to consider the company a finalist for a $2 billion contract.

TSA announced in late June that Computer Sciences Corp., General Dynamics Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. were qualified to continue bidding on the Information Technology Infrastructure Program contract. In addition, CACI International Inc. is qualified as a subcontractor to CSC.

Unisys Corp., the incumbent on the contract, filed its own protest earlier after it did not make the cut for the final competition.

Unisys won the contract in 2002, shortly after TSA was formed.

Northrop Grumman filed protests with the Government Accountability Office and with the FAA Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition on July 21. Northrop Grumman filed with both offices because there are questions about which one has jurisdiction, a company spokeswoman said.

The company's protest raises concerns about possible flaws in the conduct of the procurement, the spokeswoman said.

GAO has until Oct. 29 to issue a decision, according to the agency's Web site.