This is out on Bloomberg but the GAO sustains Boeing's protest on the award of the KC-X (KC-45) tanker contract to EADS/Northrup Grumman. This is not over by a long shot folks!
Here is more information: GAO says review of record led to conclude Air Force made errorsThese errors could have effected the outcome. GAO recommends that the USAF re-open the talks with the competitors. They also recommend that the Air Force reimburse Boeing forthe cost of the protest! GAO says the Air Force improperly boosted the Boeign cost estimate and they didn't asess the relative merits of the proposals and the the Air Force held misleading and unequal talks with Boeing. The Air Force violated the evaluation provisions.
And the GAO just punted to keep themselves from getting caught between supporters from both camps.
ReplyDeleteI just read a redacted version of the Air Force's post-hearing legal brief, and given everything else I know from following this competition, Boeing's protest is without serious basis.
Oddly, until this protest I was a big Boeing fan. I still think they tend to make the better airplane, and think they really nailed the decision to not build an A380 competitor and instead pursue the 787. It is unfortunate that the 767 is one of their weakest designs and they didn't choose to built a short 777 years ago. But their managment of this competition leads me to think that the reason they moved the HQ to Chicago is because the money people have taken over from the airplane people. Sad.