TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tanker Guidelines Clarified

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: August 15, 2008

WASHINGTON - Despite supporters' claims that the competition is biased against it, Boeing got what it wanted from newly released Pentagon guidelines for a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract, according to the chief executive of rival bidder Northrop Grumman.

"The protester got what it asked for, which was clarification of exactly what is required," Northrop CEO Ronald Sugar said of Boeing in a phone interview Thursday. "There was no mystery to us as to what the requirements of the system were in the past."

Representatives from both Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. met separately with Pentagon officials this week to discuss the new draft request for proposals, part of the second round of bidding on the long-delayed tanker contract.

The new draft includes language meant to clarify some of the problems government auditors found after Boeing protested the original award to Northrop.

Among other problems, the Government Accountability Office concluded the Air Force gave extra credit to Northrop's larger plane because it can carry more fuel, and did not specify during the initial bidding that factors such as size would be taken into account.

The revised Pentagon guidelines released last week said "additional value" will be given to a plane that exceeds the requirements on fuel.

Boeing's supporters on Capitol Hill say that language still favors Northrop.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT