Protests halt CSC's work on TSA infrastructure contract
By
Nick Wakeman
Unisys Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. have filed protests with the Government Accountability Office objecting to the awarding of a $500 million contract to Computer Sciences Corp.
Unisys Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. are protesting the Transportation Security Administration’s decision to award its lucrative infrastructure contract to Computer Sciences Corp.
The protest stopped CSC's work on the contract, a CSC spokesman said. The company had been working on a 90-day transition plan that started when it signed the contract in late September.
A TSA spokesman said that the transition period would begin again once the protests are resolved.
Unisys is the incumbent on the contract, which has brought in about $2 billion in revenue to the company since it was first awarded in 2002. The new contract that CSC won is estimated to be worth about $500 million because it doesn't include ownership of any hardware.
Unisys and General Dynamics spokesmen declined to comment because of the companies' protests.
The protests were filed Oct. 13, and a decision is due Jan. 21, according to GAO’s Web site
Unisys also protested when it failed to make the downselect as TSA worked its way through the procurement. TSA allowed Unisys back into the final round of competition. Bidders were limited to holders of the Homeland Security Department’s Eagle contract. Unisys, General Dynamics and CSC were the only three companies to pursue the contract into the final phase of the competition.
The contract will provide TSA with a broad range of IT services including developing requirements, operating all IT products and services, and telecommunications support. Work will be done at airports and TSA offices and facilities across the country.