GD fights for Army medical contract

General Dynamics IT has filed a bid protest as it battles for the right to outfit a new Army medical facility at Fort Bliss, Texas.

The $130 million contract was won by VW International (not the car maker) and calls for outfitting and transition services for the facility.

While on the surface, the contract seems more like a construction and interior design contract, there is a lot of IT in the project as well.

According to solicitation documents, some of the IT related work includes connecting with the Military Health System, project management, information management, physical security and telecom systems, and operations related to the new facility as well as other facility support services.

After VWI, of Alexandria, Va., won the contract, GD filed its protest with the Government Accountability Office. A decision is expected by Jan. 13.

There could be other protests as well as six companies bid on the project.

VW is an engineering and facilities management company. It is employee-owned and its customers include the Army Corps of Engineers, HHS, the Homeland Security Department, the Army Medical Command, the Air Force Medical Support Agency, and the Navy Medical Command.

Some of its major contracts include LogWorld, GSA’s facilities maintenance and management schedule, and the Army Corps of Engineers medical facility operation and maintenance services contract.

While I don’t know who the other bidders are on the disputed contract, it is interesting to me to see these gray areas that draw competitors from seemingly different sectors of the market.

In a tight market, you have to look for those adjacent niches and see how you can use your expertise to win new business.