Leidos not giving up on $750M Army logistics contract

Leidos has filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office challenging Northrop Grumman's capture of an Army logistics contract

Leidos has filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office challenging Northrop Grumman's capture of an Army logistics contract.

The contract has the long convoluted name of Army Fixed Wing Special Electronic Mission Aircraft Contractor Logistics Support Services of SEMA CLS. It is a nine-year contract for logistics services that support the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission of the Army’s fixed-wing aircrafts.

The solicitation documents describe a wide range of services that the prime contractor will supply, including logistics services, business services, technical services and program management.

L-Communications, now known as L3 Technologies, was the incumbent on the contract. But sources have told me they were part of the Leidos team. Leidos declined to comment.

The Army said it had three bidders for the work and we know Northrop and Leidos are two of them but no luck so far identifying the third bidder.

If the award stands, Northrop will be responsible for keeping a variety of aircraft flying as well as supporting the electronics mission the planes are flying. This includes flight operations, mission planning support, pre-flight operations, in-flight operations, and mission tasking.

It also appears the contract is designed to keep the pressure on the prime. The Army awarded the contract with a 12 month base period followed by eight one-year options.

Leidos filed its protest Sept. 18. A decision is due from GAO by Dec. 28.