Oshkosh Protests JLTV Contract Award to AM General

Oshkosh Defense has filed a bid protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) over the U.S. Army awarding AM General a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Follow-On Contract to manufacture upto 20,000 JLTVs worth an estimated $8.66 billion.
The independent GAO review of the procurement decision was initiated by Oshkosh on March 6, 2023, Oshkosh said in a statement Monday.
Original manufacturer of JLTV platform
As the incumbent manufacturer and original designer of the JLTV platform, only Oshkosh’s proposal leveraged substantial JLTV experience and proven JLTV production infrastructure, while providing best-in-class upgrades to the JLTV platform.
“After participating in the government’s post-award debriefing process, we have significant concerns regarding the evaluation of the proposals under the solicitation that support an independent review,” Tim Bleck, executive vice president Oshkosh Corporation and president Oshkosh Defense, said in the statement
“We believe the Government’s evaluation did not properly review the financial, technical, and manufacturing capabilities offered to select the best value and lowest risk solution to deliver the JLTV.”
AM General awarded contract for 20,000 JLTVs
Receiving the contract award, AM General had said on February 9 that it is "well positioned to evolve next generation JLTVs to meet mission demands across the full range of military operations."
Some of the JLTV technology enhancements include enhanced corrosion protection and improved fuel efficiency in addition to continuous developments for an updated Next Generation Vehicle Architecture.
While the U.S. Army has not specified the reasons for rejecting Oshkosh's bid, reports indicate that lower unit price could have been a major factor.