ProfessorDefense

================================================================================ BEFORE THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE (GAO) WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548 ================================================================================ IN THE MATTER OF: LOCKHEED MARTIN AERONAUTICS, PROTESTER, v. SOLICITATION NO.: FA8650-25-R-7701 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AWARD VALUE: $450,000,000 PROCURING AGENCY. AWARDEE: Anduril Tactical Systems -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FORMAL BID PROTEST -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. JURISDICTION AND TIMELINESS (4 CFR § 21.2) 1. Protester is an 'interested party' pursuant to 4 CFR § 21.0(a)(1) and 31 U.S.C. § 3551(2), having submitted an acceptable proposal and standing in direct line for award. 2. This protest is timely filed within 2 calendar days of Protester's written debriefing under 4 CFR § 21.2(a)(2) and FAR 15.506. 3. STATUTORY STAY OF PERFORMANCE: MANDATORY CICA AUTOMATIC STAY OF PERFORMANCE APPLIES (31 U.S.C. § 3553(d)(4); FAR 33.104(c)). The Agency must immediately issue a stop-work order to Anduril Tactical Systems. II. SUMMARY OF PROCUREMENT & PROCEDURAL DEFECTS The procuring agency committed prejudicial legal error and abused its discretion in awarding contract FA8650-25-R-7701 to Anduril Tactical Systems. The evaluation record is infected with statutory violations of Title 48 e-CFR and controlling GAO precedent. III. SUBSTANTIVE COUNTS OF PROTEST COUNT I: IMPROPER EVALUATION ON UNSTATED CRITERIA Governing Standard: FAR 15.303; FAR 15.305(a); Matter of Sci. Applications Int'l Corp., B-404990. The Agency downgraded Protester for failing to meet criteria absent from Section M of the solicitation. COUNT II: DISPARATE TREATMENT & UNEQUAL DISCUSSIONS Governing Standard: FAR 15.306(d)-(e); 4 CFR § 21.9; Matter of Raytheon Co., B-416211. The Agency led the awardee into an area of its proposal requiring correction while withholding similar notice of perceived weaknesses from Protester. COUNT III: FLAWED & ARBITRARY COST REALISM EVALUATION Governing Standard: FAR 15.404-1(d); FAR 16.301-3; Matter of Raytheon Tech. Servs. Co. LLC, B-404653. On this cost-reimbursement contract, the Agency mechanically accepted awardee's unsubstantiated low labor rates without performing the mandatory independent probable cost analysis. COUNT IV: UNCURABLE BIASED GROUND RULES OCI Governing Standard: FAR 9.505-2; Matter of Science Applications Int'l Corp., B-404990. Awardee Anduril Tactical Systems participated in drafting the precursor Statement of Work, giving it an irreparably biased advantage that cannot be cured by a mitigation firewall. IV. PRAYER FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Protester respectfully requests that the Comptroller General: (a) SUSTAIN this protest in its entirety; (b) DIRECT the Agency to immediately terminate the award to Anduril Tactical Systems; (c) ORDER an independent re-evaluation of proposals or re-opening of discussions; and (d) AWARD Protester the costs of pursuing this protest pursuant to 4 CFR § 21.8(d). Respectfully submitted, Counsel for Protester ================================================================================