GD challenges SAIC DISA award
By
Nick Wakeman
General Dynamics is arguing that it should have won a $38.8 million DISA contract for satellite support, and not SAIC, because the GD bid was lower.
General Dynamics and Science Applications International Corp. are squaring off over a $38.8 million contract for satellite communications support that SAIC won with DISA.
The contract is a task order under the Total Engineering and Integration Services III contract vehicle held by GD Information Technology, SAIC, and a few other companies.
SAIC won the contract from DISA for terrestrial communications support.
In its protest with the Government Accountability Office, GD is arguing that DISA made the wrong choice and should have picked GD. The company says its proposal was less expensive.
GD filed its protest June 15 and a decision is expected Sept. 23.
Unless there is some other mistake or finding in the DISA award, GAO’s decision will likely hinge on how big the price difference was and the difference on the technical scores.
GAO gives agencies a lot of leeway in this area. It is a judgment call on the agency’s part on whether the technical solution justifies the premium. The key will be the documentation of DISA’s decision making process. If it is well-documented, GD will face an uphill battle to sway GAO.