Takes Flight

08 Apr 2008
Air Force Secretary Wynne disputes Boeing's claims
Boeing has based its entire challenge to Northrop Grumman's win to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers on the premise that the Air Force bidding process wasn't conducted properly.

Not so, says Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne.

In remarks to Air Force personnel at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, Wynne strongly disputed Boeing's claims that the bidding process was altered to favor Northrop Grumman.

According to AFPN, Wynne described the bidding process as "free, open and above-board."

Wynne also said he believes that the Government Accountability Office, now conducting a review based on Boeing's protest, "will conclude with the fact that the Air Force, in this case, did it right," according to AFPN.

In addition, Wynne said that the Air Force was required under law to conduct the competitive bidding process that Boeing now complains about.

Despite Boeing's claims, a number of independent third-parties reviewed the bidding process–at the request of the Air Force. None found it to be anything but objective and impartial.

What's more, Boeing praised the bidding process as fair and open while it was going on, and did not take advantage of its right to protest while in communication with the Air Force about what it was looking for in a new tanker.

You can see Secretary Wynne's comments here:
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123093348

What Others Are Saying:

The Jackson County Mississippi Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution supporting Northrop Grumman's winning proposal.

Today's Mississippi Press quotes Supervisor Manly Barton as saying, "Even though it's in Mobile County (Alabama), it's going to have tremendous economic impact on the whole Gulf Coast."

It's not just the Gulf Coast. In building America's New Tanker, Northrop Grumman will work with 230 suppliers in 49 states and support 48,000 jobs. That impact was verified through direct contact with the suppliers and the application of widely accepted Labor Department analysis to determine both the direct and indirect employment impact of the program.

Contrast that to losing bidder Boeing, which has refused to offer any support for its job creation claims. In fact, Boeing vice-president for Tanker programs, Mark McGraw, effectively confessed that his job creation numbers were not based on a detailed analysis in a conference call with reporters last week. He said, "we've never even attempted to go there," in reference to determining the facts about direct and indirect jobs in relation to the Boeing bid.

The Mississippi Press story can be found here:
http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/index.ssf?
/base/news/1207649712188500.xml

< Back to index