Judge Molly R. Silfen of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled in early April 2026 that the Department of Veterans Affairs may proceed with its $60.7 billion, 10-year T4NG2 IT-modernization vehicle. The consolidated bid protest had drawn 31 filings; 18 firms were ultimately affected. Coverage from Stars and Stripes.
What the court held
The government argued — and Judge Silfen accepted — that the solicitation was clear and protesters forfeited their challenges by not raising them before the close of bidding. T4NG2 covers cybersecurity, software engineering, and health information services across VA.
Mid-litigation additions
Three protesters were added to the contract before the final ruling: Taurian Consulting, Technatomy Corp., and Peregrine Digital Services — a settlement-style outcome that eliminated their incentive to keep litigating.
What this means
- The forfeiture defense (Blue & Gold Fleet) is alive and well — raise solicitation challenges before bid close, or lose them
- "Add the protester to the contract" remains a real off-ramp for agencies on giant IT vehicles
- VA is now clear to issue T4NG2 task orders; expect rapid award flow over Q3 FY26