NetCents protests grow to 14

More companies have filed protests against the Air Force and its troubled NetCents 2 Products contract. The total has now reached 14 protestors.

If my sources are correct, then all the losing bidders, except for two, have filed protests. The is round two for NetCents 2 Products, which last year was awarded to nine companies, but a flood of protests forced the Air Force back off and try again.

The reception to round 2 has been chilly. As one executive told me, nothing changed except for who some of the winners are.

Complaints this time are centered on pricing evaluations and compliance issues, particularly with trade regulations that restrict the countries where component in products are sourced.

The new protestors are:

• FCN Inc.
• Insight Public Sector
• Presidio Networked Solutions Inc.
• Unicom Government Inc. – formerly GTSI and a winner in round one.

They join the previous protestors:

• Blue Tech Inc. – a winner in round one
• Dell Federal Systems,
• Force3
• Global Technology Resources Inc. – a winner in round one
• Red River Computer Co. – a winner in round one
• immixTechnology Inc.
• Integration Technologies Group
• MicroTech
• M2 Technology – a winner in round one.
• Sterling Computers Corp.

Just as a reminder the winners of round 2 are:

• Ace Technology Partners LLC., Arlington Heights, Ill.
• CDW Government LLC., Vernon Hills Ill.
• CounterTrade Products Inc., Arvada Colo.
• FedStore Corp., Rockville Md.
• General Dynamics IT, Needham Mass.
• Intelligent Decisions Inc., Ashburn Va.
• Iron Bow Technologies LLC., Chantilly Va.
• World Wide Technology Inc., Maryland Heights Mo.

For the winners, the contract goes on hold. No task orders and no way to recoup bid and proposal costs.

The Government Accountability Office has until August to rule, but I think we’ll likely see a resolution of some sort before then. Perhaps awards to everyone or a few more. Perhaps a cancelation.  

I’m sure people are getting tired of the drama surrounding the contract, which was to be the Air Force’s prime vehicle for buying IT products that complement the other services-oriented NetCents contracts.

Whatever happens next is firmly in the Air Force’s hands.