Court Rules U.S. Navy Engaged in Disparate Treatment in Procurement Challenge
What happened
Saildrone, a manufacturer of unmanned surface vehicles, won a court challenge against the U.S. Navy’s new procurement evaluation program. The case stemmed from the Navy’s competitive program for developing a Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel. Saildrone had sued, alleging it was unlawfully excluded after the Navy deemed its entry non-compliant across all three evaluation criteria.
Why it matters
The ruling is considered a rare instance where a supplier prevailed against the government, suggesting that major government procurement is subject to judicial review. The court finding of disparate treatment forces the U.S. Navy to reevaluate its selection process for the new class of medium-size vessels.
Who's involved
- PENTAGONThe Pentagon, which sought to modernize and speed up the procurement process.
- United States NavyThe United States Navy, which ran the competitive program for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- United States NavySpeculative
The United States Navy might face a forced reevaluation of its program and could see $1.5 billion of production funding halted due to the judicial ruling.