Indeks
Aug. 16 -- Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp., competing to win a reopened $35 billion refueling tanker contract, said they met with U.S. Department of Defense officials today for the second time in a week to move forward on an amended bid proposal.
``Through its protest, Boeing got what it asked for, which was clarification of exactly what is required to meet the Air Force's tanker requirements,'' said Northrop spokesman Randy Belote in an e-mail after company executives met with officials at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
The meetings to discuss new guidelines for the reopened contest come after the Government Accountability Office upheld a protest by Boeing, saying that the Air Force made ``significant errors'' in awarding the contract to a Northrop team in February. The companies met with government officials on Aug. 12 and afterward Boeing said it wanted ``more discussions'' while Northrop said it was ``pleased'' with the process to date.
Boeing spokesman Daniel Beck, in an e-mail, called the meeting today ``part of continuing discussions with the Pentagon.''
Northrop ``did not ask for this meeting but accepted it as an opportunity for a final, constructive follow-up to last Tuesday's meeting,'' Belote said.
Pentagon to Decide
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on July 9 said a new round of competition would be held, and that the Pentagon, not the Air Force, would lead the review.
Defense Department officials said the revised bids would give preference to a plane capable of carrying more fuel. Boeing's supporters in Congress said the Air Force's desire for higher fuel capacity would favor Northrop.
The tankers are used to refuel fighter jets and other military planes in flight.
Los Angeles-based Northrop and Airbus SAS parent European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. won the 179-plane contract using an entry modeled after the Airbus A330 commercial jetliner. Chicago-based Boeing, which has supplied Air Force refueling tankers for more than a half-century, based its bid on a modified 767 commercial plane.
The Pentagon still plans to issue the final proposal by mid-August, Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said in an interview on Aug. 14.
``Through its protest, Boeing got what it asked for, which was clarification of exactly what is required to meet the Air Force's tanker requirements,'' said Northrop spokesman Randy Belote in an e-mail after company executives met with officials at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
The meetings to discuss new guidelines for the reopened contest come after the Government Accountability Office upheld a protest by Boeing, saying that the Air Force made ``significant errors'' in awarding the contract to a Northrop team in February. The companies met with government officials on Aug. 12 and afterward Boeing said it wanted ``more discussions'' while Northrop said it was ``pleased'' with the process to date.
Boeing spokesman Daniel Beck, in an e-mail, called the meeting today ``part of continuing discussions with the Pentagon.''
Northrop ``did not ask for this meeting but accepted it as an opportunity for a final, constructive follow-up to last Tuesday's meeting,'' Belote said.
Pentagon to Decide
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on July 9 said a new round of competition would be held, and that the Pentagon, not the Air Force, would lead the review.
Defense Department officials said the revised bids would give preference to a plane capable of carrying more fuel. Boeing's supporters in Congress said the Air Force's desire for higher fuel capacity would favor Northrop.
The tankers are used to refuel fighter jets and other military planes in flight.
Los Angeles-based Northrop and Airbus SAS parent European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. won the 179-plane contract using an entry modeled after the Airbus A330 commercial jetliner. Chicago-based Boeing, which has supplied Air Force refueling tankers for more than a half-century, based its bid on a modified 767 commercial plane.
The Pentagon still plans to issue the final proposal by mid-August, Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said in an interview on Aug. 14.
