KKR leading in bidding for Northrop unit: FT

Northrop Grumman Corporation
SAIC, Inc.
NEW YORK October 4, 2009 (Reuters) - A Kohlberg Kravis Roberts-led consortium leads the bidding for Northrop Grumman Corp's (NYSE:NOC - News) TASC unit, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing people close to the matter.
Last month, Reuters reported that KKR (KKR.UL) partnered with General Atlantic to bid for the Northrop unit, which advises government military agencies, according to two sources familiar with the matter. TPG also teamed up with New Mountain Capital and Providence partnered with Welsh, Carson Anderson & Stowe on competing bids, the sources said.
The Financial Times said on Sunday that KKR appears to have the lead for the business as other bidders have pulled out, but that it was unclear whether Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE:SAI - News) was interested in bidding.
KKR and Northrop were not immediately available for comment.
Northrop's TASC business sells systems engineering and mission analysis services to the U.S. military, the intelligence community, federal and state governments and commercial industry.
(Reporting by Michael Erman)