It's been a busy summer for TSA! As a recent INPUT blog mentioned, industry watchers are waiting for GAO decisions on the Unisys and Northrop Grumman protests of the $2 billion ITIP procurement, in particular as it's the first task order protest since the recent change in rules. While ITIP remains undecided, GAO announced its decision for another high profile TSA procurement – the Integrated Hiring Operations and Personnel Program (IHOPP).

The controversial $1.2 billion (with $3 billion possible) human resources contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin in early July. Members of Congress, as well as industry groups like the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union have been critical of the contract, expressing concern that TSA might be outsourcing inherently governmental work in a workforce environment already plagued by problems.

To compound matters, losing bidder Avue Technologies filed protests with both GAO and the FAA Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition (ODRA), arguing that TSA failed to consider that the two losing bidders on IHOPP are both private sector shared service providers under the Human Resources Line of Business (HR LoB). Lockheed Martin is not a shared service provider under the program. Yesterday, GAO released its decision to deny the protest, explaining that they do not have the jurisdictional authority to make a judgment since TSA was exempt from the FAR until June 26, 2008. Since the procurement was initiated prior to June 2008, it falls outside of the FAR, giving FAA jurisdiction over the procurement. ODRA officials confirmed the protest is pending, with an average adjudication time of 62 days.