By Geoff Fein
The Navy has lifted a stop work order on a General Dynamics’ [GD] effort to develop a common display system for ships, submarines and aircraft, following a reevaluation of a protest that showed the company’s proposal provided advantages in both non-cost factors and the evaluated price.
DRS [DRS] filed the protest with the Government Accountability Office following a phase II contract award to both General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS) and DRS for the Common Enterprise Display System (CEDS) display consoles.
Both companies were awarded phase II development contracts for CEDS on Nov. 2, 2007. At the time, GD won a $83 million contract and DRS was awarded a $62.6 million contract. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is the contracting activity.
The cost-plus-award-fee, fixed-price incentive/firm-fixed price hybrid, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts were for qualification, production and support of CEDS display consoles in support of DDG-1000 and the Aegis modernization effort, according to the award notice.
“CEDS is a family of displays that will be implemented across platform systems on Navy surface ships, submarines, and aircraft. Display consoles provide a common human machine interface to the platform open architecture computing environment. Remote displays will be used in conjunction with display consoles to support warfighter team situational awareness,” according to the NAVSEA award.
GAO did sustain, in part, DRS’ protest, but neither GAO nor DRS would comment on the protest specifics.
Information on the protest, which was filed Nov. 19, 2007, with GAO, is under a protected status, in which only the lawyers for the companies and GAO have access, a source said.
The Navy had suspended performance on the contract on Nov. 20, 2007. That order was rescinded earlier this month, following GAO’s Feb. 26 decision.
“Based on reevaluation, the Navy’s source selection determination is that the GDAIS proposal provides an advantage in both the non-cost factors and the evaluated price,” according to a memo signed by a NAVSEA contracting officer. “Accordingly, the Navy hereby rescinds the contract’s performance suspension…”