Lockheed Martin Award Questioned

The Federal Aviation Administration has been told to rethink its intention to award a contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. because the agency had not adequately justified its decision to award the En Route Automation Modernization contract without a competition.

Raytheon Co. in February protested the FAA's plan to give Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin the contract, saying that its extensive experience in air traffic control qualified the company to compete for the ERAM program.

The program is reportedly worth several hundred million dollars and would upgrade the software and hardware used to control high-altitude airline traffic at the FAA's 20 en route air traffic control centers.

The ruling requires the FAA either to provide better justification for the sole-source award to Lockheed Martin or undergo a competitive bidding process.