Takes Flight

21 Apr 2008
Defense Secretary Gates Calls Possible Delays a "Real Shame"
Defense Secretary Robert Gates today said it would be a "real shame" if Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's winning bid to construct America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers leads to a delay in the program.

Speaking at an Air Force university in Alabama, Gates said: "All I can say is that I think it would be a real shame if the tankers were to get delayed. We are long past due in terms of getting on with this program."

In fact, the tanker is the number-one acquisition priority for the Air Force, whose current tanker fleet is approaching 50 years old. The Air Force conducted an open, transparent bidding process in which both Northrop Grumman and losing bidder Boeing were constantly briefed on what the Air Force wanted in a new tanker.

Boeing praised the process while it was going on, and didn't protest then, when it had the chance. Boeing began complaining — including asking the Government Accountability Office to overturn the award — only after the Air Force decided Northrop Grumman's bid was superior to Boeing's on four out of five crucial evaluation criteria.

Gates noted that by law, the Defense Department could consider only technology, capability and the costs of the two competing bids — criteria the Air Force has made clear it prioritized in the selection process.

Gates defended how the Air Force bid the contract.

"Based on everything I've seen this was a fair process but we'll wait and see what the GAO report says," Gates said.

He also raised questions about members of Congress — from Washington and Kansas, employment centers for the losing bidder — who have threatened to kill the contract and make sure it is awarded to Boeing.

"Some things unrelated to what the law says we can consider are being thrown into the mix at least on Capitol Hill and that's a concern," Gates said.

The GAO has until June 19th to rule on the merits of Boeing's protest.

To read the entire AFP article, go to: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g6aElB2KCFj50xDWQdDt_PRRHbpQ

< Back to index