Lockheed clears protest hurdle on $4.6B GIG contract

Lockheed Martin has the "all clear" to move ahead with the lucrative Defense Department Global Information Grid contract.

The $4.6 billion contract was awarded in June, but has been held up as the Government Accountability Office considered a protest by losing bidder Science Applications International Corp.

GAO this week released its decision to deny SAIC’s protests. The company had complained that the Defense Information Systems Agency didn’t properly evaluate the risk of Lockheed’s proposal, and that Lockheed had access to information because of an organizational conflict of interest, Federal News Radio reported.

Those claims were rejected by GAO.

Now, Lockheed can begin work on the contract known as the Global Systems Management Operations contract, which has a three-year base and two, two-year options.

“We are ready to begin work with DISA to improve the speed and efficiency of information exchange between our joint warfighters around the world as well as their commanders and allies,” said Gerry Fasano, president of Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions-Defense.

The Global Information Grid is a series of interconnected networks and computer systems that serves as the backbone of DOD’s command and control systems. It is managed by DISA.

Lockheed’s team includes AT&T, ACS, Serco, BAE Systems, ManTech International and other specialized and small firms, the company said.