Comarco May Lose Contracts After Bidders Protest Award

Comarco Inc. said Tuesday that Army contracts with a potential value to the company of $35 million could be in jeopardy after some losing bidders protested the contract award and the project was put up for rebidding.

The Army awarded contracts worth $14.3 million last August to three companies, including a joint venture formed by Comarco and Virginia-based Mantech International. The total value of the contracts could reach $332.4 million, including future options over five years.

The Comarco/Mantech share of the work was valued at $98 million over five years. The Anaheim company’s revenue could have reached $35 million over that period, said Eva Evans, a company spokeswoman.

But competing companies protested the award, contending that their bids were lower than Comarco’s. Based on a recommendation by the General Accounting Office, the Army has now decided to re-evaluate each bid, Evans said. Among the protesters was United International Engineering Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M.

“While it is possible that the earlier award to the Comarco/Mantech joint venture could be overturned, we are hopeful that the final results will be favorable to us,” Comarco President Don Bailey said in a statement.

Bailey said that he was disappointed by the Army’s decision and that the delay has been longer than anticipated.