By Ann Roosevelt

L-3 Communications [LLL] yesterday filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) challenging the Army’s award of a $4.6 billion contract for translators and linguists to Global Linguist Solutions (GLS).

GLS is a partnership formed by DynCorp International [DCP] and McNeil Technologies.

L-3 does not comment on protests, nor does GAO.

This is the second GAO protest over the work from L-3, which originally held the contract.

L-3 initially protested the Army’s selection of GLS in December 2006. In March 2007, GAO upheld the L-3 protest and the Army recompeted the work. At that time, L-3 continued the linguistic work and additional resources in support of the surge in Iraq.

The Army this month again awarded the contract to GLS (Defense Daily, Dec. 10).

In the wake of the Army’s GLS award last week, L-3 reaffirmed its financial guidance for the years ending Dec. 31, 2007, and 2008 and said the loss has no impact on its previously announced financial guidance.