Glock Formally Protests
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561 Posts
is that a red dot fill plate on the slide?
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I gotta think this is merely a pro forma complaint. The Army has made up its mind.
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52 Posts
Yep - that's pretty much SOP with any large $$$ DoD contract.
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Who cares? Makes exactly 0 difference to 99% of us anyways
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However, if the GAO finds that the Army failed to follow their formal proposal evaluation process in an area that directly impacted the competitor ratings.....Glock could force a second evaluation of all bidders (even if Sig was the best value offer).
It's interesting to note that the GAO review would never establish that a more competitive bidder should win the award (in this case, possibly Glock).....just that if the Army failed to follow their documented evaluation process, then a new evaluation may be warranted.
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193 Posts
Technically (legally) speaking, the P320 is not a polymer framed gun. The polymer "grip module" is just a shell. The actual receiver (frame) of the P320 is the stainless steel FCU. Thus, it's a steel framed gun. Or, how I think of it, it's a pistol with a steel receiver held in a polymer housing.
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"And while the weapon can be adapted to shoot 9mm, .357 SIG and .40 S&W ammunition, the Army is opting to stick with the 9mm."
Comments/Thoughts on the commitment to 9mm for the army?
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7,825 Posts
Correct. It is pretty much guaranteed that one of the losing bidders will file formal complaint. What this does is force into the open the decision making process and how they came about the award. Glock may or may not have been the lowest bidder. That usually is not the reason. I've had protests filed against awards/companies I represented. And the contracting office in this case the army will have to publicly declare why they gave Sig the award. The RFQ was seemingly written to basically eliminate all others from get go to begin with which is another thing I've encountered in these types of things. Without naming it the RFQ will be written to such perfection that only one companies product will fill the bill. I myself am interested in hearing why Sig beat Glock. I don't think it was due to reliability of one over the other or price. Some have said it was because the Glock has finger grooves which was an eliminator. But the new Gen5 FBI model Glocks do not have finger grooves. It will be interesting to see the real reason behind the award.
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682 Posts
Maybe, but a lot of contracts have been overturned through protests so don't assume this is "pro forma". The usual cause for upholding a protest is because the source selection authority did not follow the criteria precisely as laid out in the Request for Proposal. Hopefully the long drawn-out selection was because they were carefully following the process.
(Former USAF acquisition program manager who has successfully beaten back a protest)
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682 Posts
Nope it's a business and they lost out on what is probably the last big handgun contract. The DOD appeals process does not punish for filing frivolous appeals so it's good business to go for it; worst that can happen is, well nothing. They still lose. That's it.
Perhaps because the 320 has a stainless steel frame
I bought my 320 because I liked its feel in my hand and the trigger is quite good.
I have never bought, or even considered, a handgun primarily because the Army, FBI or any other government agency uses it. And I never will.
But, that's just me.
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766 Posts
It seems Glock can't get it through their head that they are not the end all be all for police and military. Not everyone thinks they are the ultimate weapon. Talking with my LGS about FTF with ammo, both fmj and HPs they said the surprising biggest number of gun they have seen returned to them is Glock. One that was returned could not go more than 2 rnds before FTF. Something has to have been changed, because these used to eat anything you fed them.
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Legal and appeal "preparation" fees can bee quite large. I agree with you it's a common practice.
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I think the fact that Sig was the only manufacturer to produce a pistol that fit the Army's request to the letter is, at the very least, curious. My guess is that is what Glock will focus its protest on. If it is found that the Army colluded with Sig to get the contract there could be some pretty serious charges filed. On this premise I think Glock has a legitimate complaint, as would any other competitor, but I think it is highly unlikely it will go anywhere. If there is one thing the Army (military) is adept at, it's a cover up.
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Cost benefit analysis. There are a number of reasons ranging from cost to performance to capacity. The fact is the pistol is a secondary weapon, which the majority of soldiers aren't even issued at this point. The 9mm is more than adequate for the role it is pressed into. It is less expensive, lighter, able to afford more rounds, which keeps you in the fight, and they already have a huge stock pile of it in inventory. Changing calibers just doesn't make sense as it would be terribly cost prohibitive without offering any discernible advantage, at all.
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