Amazon Sues Over Loss Of Defence Deal To Microsoft

Amazon Sues Over Loss Of Defence Deal To Microsoft

Amazon.com Inc. filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging the Defense Department’s choice of rival Microsoft Corp. for a Pentagon cloud-computing contract worth as much as $10 billion.

The lawsuit, which was filed under seal in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, marks Amazon’s most aggressive push to defend its competitive edge in the lucrative and cutthroat world of federal government contracts.

Amazon previously said it planned to formally protest its loss of the Pentagon’s Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, cloud contract because the evaluation process was deficient.

“It’s critical for our country that the government and its elected leaders administer procurements objectively and in a manner that is free from political influence,” Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener said in a Nov. 14 statement.

“Numerous aspects of the JEDI evaluation process contained clear deficiencies, errors, and unmistakable bias — and it’s important that these matters be examined and rectified.”

Elissa Smith, a spokeswoman for the Defense Department, said in a statement that it, along with the Justice Department, would review the lawsuit. She added that the Pentagon “was confident in the JEDI award.

The source selection process was conducted in accordance with the stated criteria in the solicitation and procurement law.”

Representatives of Amazon didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday night.

In court paperwork, Amazon said the lawsuit was filed under seal because it contains “sensitive” information that “would cause severe competitive harm” if it’s released.