Air Force tanker contract (1 Viewer)

[Saintman2884]

Rick, a lot of people here in Mobile will not be happy if this tanker contract goes away. Their was a surge of joy and excitement when the news came around that we had won the thing and now with it possibly going away, their will be some angry people in my parts. The Press Register will paint this as the city getting screwed by outsiders and will sway people as saying that the Democrats pulled a fast one on Alabama.

Trust me I live in Mobile and already their are some expletives I've heard being named at more then a few Boeing officials and a few Democrats on the Board who overturned the decision.

Whether it's totally valid or not, unfair or fair, if Mobile gets screwed, do not expect the people of this town to take it lightly. Things like this are hard to swallow if you look at it from our perspective

 

[Rickboy]

Rick, a lot of people here in Mobile will not be happy if this tanker contract goes away. Their was a surge of joy and excitement when the news came around that we had won the thing and now with it possibly going away, their will be some angry people in my parts. The Press Register will paint this as the city getting screwed by outsiders and will sway people as saying that the Democrats pulled a fast one on Alabama.

Trust me I live in Mobile and already their are some expletives I've heard being named at more then a few Boeing officials and a few Democrats on the Board who overturned the decision.

Whether it's totally valid or not, unfair or fair, if Mobile gets screwed, do not expect the people of this town to take it lightly. Things like this are hard to swallow if you look at it from our perspective

I agree that they won't like it but from a political standpoint they won't be able to do much about it. Boeing is a very politically aware company. They have factories all over the US and as you've seen they will use that political will at any time.

EADS doesn't have that kind of pull and never will. Neither do the subcontractors.

 

[superchuck500]

I don't think they really had a choice.

Congress would have beaten them over the heads with that GAO report if they had moved forward. Looks like Boeing is going to end up winning it.

I'm not all that sure I call this a good thing.

There are as many in Congress who want to see the Northrop proposal win as want to see Boeing. But why do you think this means Boeing will win? The Air Force has selected the KC-30 once, and they'll probably do it again. They just have to follow procurement rules.

The way I read that article is that the Air Force has decided to accept the GAO finding and restart the process.

Yep, looks that way.

 

[erb415]

At least they didn't throw everything out the door and hand the contract to Boeing, at least not yet. This is all about politics plain and simple. The KC-45 is the superior plane in all categories except amount of parking space it takes up. Recently the KC-45 completed its 100th refueling test according to the Mobile paper and the Boeing plane hasn't even been tested. I am sure Boeing will end up with the contract but the AF will not end up with the best plane.

 

[superchuck500]

I am sure Boeing will end up with the contract but the AF will not end up with the best plane.

I don't know why this is a foregone conclusion. The AF appears to prefer the Airbus. The same thing happened with the rescue helicopter contract last year. Boeing won, Sikorksy protested. GAO sustained, AF recompeted and awarded to the same helicopter because it prefered it - the AF just made sure to do it right.

 

[erb415]

I don't know why this is a foregone conclusion. The AF appears to prefer the Airbus. The same thing happened with the rescue helicopter contract last year. Boeing won, Sikorksy protested. GAO sustained, AF recompeted and awarded to the same helicopter because it prefered it - the AF just made sure to do it right.

I hope you are correct but I am fearful of politicians.

 

[superchuck500]

Yeah, I hear ya. But Dick Shelby and John McCain are politicians too!

 

[staphory]

I don't know why this is a foregone conclusion. The AF appears to prefer the Airbus. The same thing happened with the rescue helicopter contract last year. Boeing won, Sikorksy protested. GAO sustained, AF recompeted and awarded to the same helicopter because it prefered it - the AF just made sure to do it right.

The decision won't be made by the Air Force. It will be made by John Young, Chief of Weapons Procurement at the Pentagon.
This couldn't have gone any better for Boeing.
Btw, are you all aware that the lead customer for the KC-767 is Japan?
It's only over budget and late. What's a few million dollars and three years between friends though?
Boeing will win this time.

 

[superchuck500]

The decision won't be made by the Air Force. It will be made by John Young, Chief of Weapons Procurement at the Pentagon.

I hear ya, but officially, the Air Force source selection official makes the decision. It is an Air Force solicitation for an Air Force acquisition. And that decision must be supported by documented review of the technical, cost, and past performance elements of the proposal - generally contributed to by various panels (i.e. technical). If the documentation isn't there - or if it demonstrates a departure from the source selection criteria in the solicitation, GAO is going to sustain any protest, and then they'll have to start over.

 

[RobG]

There were big problems with EADS which is not subject the the FCPA (foreign corrupt practices act) as are American companies.

It is clear that EADS cannot be trusted to build KC-X tankers for America – its history confirms this. The Center for Security Policy’s 11-page report highlights numerous past and present problematic issues that need resolved before EADS should be able to compete for American contracts.[\quote]

I hate that Mobile may loose this deal but I also am strongly opposed to giving foreign companies an unfair advantage.

 

[DadsDream]

UPDATE

FOX NEWS
Pentagon Postpones $35B Air Force Tanker Competition Until 2009
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

EXERPTS:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates
“Over the past seven years the process has become enormously complex and emotional — in no small part because of mistakes and missteps along the way by the Department of Defense."

Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala
"I am, frankly, embarrassed for the DoD leadership. They have an urgent military need yet are simply giving up efforts to address that need. It is a very sad comment when our nation is engaged in two wars — in two different regions of the world — that DoD would abdicate its responsibility."

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash
"great news for Boeing's workers."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420143,00.html

 

[erb415]

This will not be resolved until they find a way to justify giving it to Boeing. Politics. Maybe McCain will do something about it if elected.

 

[superchuck500]

This will not be resolved until they find a way to justify giving it to Boeing. Politics. Maybe McCain will do something about it if elected.

McCain has supported the EADS/NG entry (based on the Airbus) from the beginning. If anything, a McCain election could help that entry rather than the one from Boeing.

But it really isn't supposed to be political. The selection just has to make sense in comparison to the stated selection criteria. That's what GAO reviews when the award gets protested. GAO found the original award to be insufficient on those grounds.

All they have to do is do it right.

 

[Thorin]

I heard that the KC-45 has been criticized for not having enough acceleration for an emergency break away, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Has anyone else heard this rumor?

 

[erb415]

McCain has supported the EADS/NG entry (based on the Airbus) from the beginning. If anything, a McCain election could help that entry rather than the one from Boeing.

Thats what I meant.