Chainalysis Government Solutions has filed a bid protest in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims over a $94.7 million contract that Immigration and Customs Enforcement awarded to rival blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. The procurement covers analytical support for the Homeland Security Task Force National Coordination Center Cyber Disruption Center through June 30, 2027.

Public records show the award was made on July 1 and classified as not competed, with sole-source procedures and one bid received. The court has confirmed the existence of the challenge, but it has not found that ICE acted improperly.

Sealed protest moves forward in federal court

The case, Chainalysis Government Solutions, LLC v. United States, No. 26-1067C, was filed on July 27 in the Court of Federal Claims. TRM Labs has intervened on the government’s side in the dispute.

A July 31 court order kept Chainalysis’s complaint under seal and put a protective order in place. That same order also established an accelerated schedule for briefing, indicating the court is moving quickly even though the substance of the complaint is not yet public.

Contract terms and procurement record

Procurement records identify the award as contract 70CMSD26C00000005. ICE awarded it to TRM Labs for analytical support tied to the Homeland Security Task Force, with a total value listed at up to $94.66 million.

The public notice trail shows ICE announced in June that it intended to obtain the services from a single source. According to that notice, the agency concluded that only one source was reasonably available for the capabilities it needed, and interested companies were invited to submit capability statements by June 11.

Work includes tracing and investigative support

The requirement described by ICE extends beyond a basic software purchase. Public descriptions say the work supports scam disruption, cybercrime investigations and sextortion cases.

Listed capabilities include cryptocurrency transaction tracing, blockchain analytics, open-source intelligence, asset recovery support and criminal-network mapping. The dispute therefore centers on a large law-enforcement contract in a market where both TRM Labs and Chainalysis supply blockchain intelligence tools to government agencies.

Expedited briefing before September hearing

Judge Stephen S. Schwartz directed the government to produce the full administrative record and set a compressed briefing calendar. Chainalysis’s motion for judgment on the administrative record was due on Aug. 11.

The government and TRM Labs must file their cross-motions and responses by Aug. 21. Oral argument is scheduled for Sept. 2 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at the National Courts Building in Washington, D.C., and the government has asked the judge to issue a ruling by Sept. 10.

What is confirmed and what remains unresolved

At this stage, the confirmed facts are limited. ICE made a roughly $94.7 million sole-source award to TRM Labs, Chainalysis has challenged that procurement, and TRM Labs is participating in the case alongside the government.

What remains unresolved are the legal issues behind the protest and whether the award complied with federal acquisition rules. Unless additional filings are unsealed earlier, the next confirmed step is the Sept. 2 hearing, followed by any decision the court may issue afterward.

Source: crypto.news