MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2001
AT&T reportedly has taken its challenge over $1.5 billion FTS 2001 contract to General Accounting Office (GAO), rather than continuing with protest filed with General Services Administration (GSA). AT&T couldn’t be reached for comment Fri. GSA spokesman said agency couldn’t comment on case, which is under protective order. AT&T had mounted agency-level protest at GSA, contending delays in long distance contract and waived performance requirements warranted overturning agreements with incumbent contractors Sprint and WorldCom. AT&T held previous FTS 2000 contract, along with Sprint. AT&T, in GSA protest, had cited GAO report released in April that detailed reasons for repeated delays in FTS 2001 transition (CD May 1 p1). "It’s an unprecedented thing to do in midstream and before there is an agency decision," said Lisa Crawford, procurement consultant who formerly headed AT&T’s FTS 2000 program, of AT&T’s decision to take challenge to GAO instead of waiting for final GSA ruling.