GSI protests Boeing's $2B DISN services buy

Government Systems Inc. late last month lodged a protest against the Defense Information Systems Agency's $2 billion Defense Information Systems Network Support Services-Global (DSSG) contract awarded to Boeing Information Services.

GSI declined to provide any details about the protest, filed with the General Accounting Office, at this time "on the advice of counsel." Boeing also declined comment last week.

Warren Suss, a telecommunications analyst who follows the federal market, said he could "easily understand why GSI protested. They're a very small company, and it took millions of dollars to prepare the DSSG bids."

Suss called DSSG essential to the development of the multibillion-dollar Defense Information Systems Network, particularly in helping to transition the existing services and networks, such as the Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network to DISN.

Maj. Gen. David Kelley, DISA's deputy director, said that, as a result of the protest, work has stopped on DSSG. Once the protest is resolved, DISA intends to quickly tap into the support and services available on DSSG, Kelley added.