| A USAF Air Tanker on Empty ... Now "Full" |
 |
 |
 |
|
Update: Boeing wins! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110225/ap_on_re_us/us_air_tanker_fight Recently, ProposalCafe.com posted a Current Article ("Oops: Air Force sends tanker bid details to rivals"). This article describes another misstep that the USAF has made in trying to procure a much needed replacement for the aged KC-135, an air refueling aircraft. As a former proposal manager for a major aerospace defense contractor, I find this procurement effort interesting and in a perverse way, entertaining (as in a comedy of errors). As a U.S. taxpayer, I find the effort disturbing, a waste of money ... and not a laughing matter. It's a procurement history of protest, domestic and international politics, corporate scandal, and changes in contract award decisions. Mix in a proposal submitted 5 minutes late resulting in the U.S. Government's refusal to accept a bidder's proposal and the "oops" of the USAF sending competitive bid details to two competing bidders, I think you have the makings a blockbuster movie screenplay, when, and if, the final selection of the tanker is made. Aside from the waste of money by bidders and the U.S. Government caused by the delay of this procurement award and the USAF's mishandling of the procurement, the real sad part of this story is that our U.S. military really needs this new tanker.
I think the following article links will help you to understand the story (fiasco?) of this procurement process. Maybe proposal professionals, defense contractors, and the USAF can learn some lessons from this experience. Oh, and I sincerely hope the military soon gets the air refueling tankers it needs.
I suggest you first read the first listed article, a timeline article, and then the following articles in the order listed.
Timeline: The tanker saga by Seattle Times archives and news services (19 NOV 2010)
Boeing chief fired over tanker scandal by Michael Harrison (25 NOV 2003)
Boeing will protest Air Force tanker contract by the Associated Press (10 MAR 2008)
Air Force may reopen $35B tanker bid from CNNMoney.com (18 JUN 2008)
KC-X: GAO Sustains Boeing Protest from the Defense Industry Daily (25 JUN 2008)
The Air Force's Tanker Tailspin by Mark Thompson (10 SEP 2008)
In Tanker Bid, It was Boeing vs. Bold Ideas by David Herszenhorn and Jeff Bailey (10 MAR 2008)
Contest for Air Force refueling tanker contract again hits turbulence by W.J. Hennigan (5 OCT 2009)
Possible end seen in fight over new air tankers by Ben Evans (24 FEB 2010)
EU warns US over Pentagon tanker contract by the Associated Press (9 MAR 2010)
EADS drops bid for US air force tanker contract by Andrew Clark (9 MAR 2010)
Pentagon extends tanker competition deadline from CongressDaily (31 MAR 2010)
Nations Struggle Over Scandal-Marked Air Force Tanker Deal by Andrew Kreig (3 APR 2010)
EADS To Bid on U.S. Air Force Tanker Contract by Stephen Manning (20 APR 2010)
EADS submits bid for Air Force tanker contract by George Talbot (8 JUL 2010)
One More Round, Perhaps, for Boeing and EADS by Stephen Manning (9 JUL 2010)
Boeing NewGen Tanker Bid Submitted to USAF by Shane McGlaun (12 JUL 2010)
Ukraine-U.S. team submits tanker bid from CongressDaily (12 JUL 2010)
KC-X: Darn Those Deadlines by Colin Clark (5 AUG 2010)
Speculation over delay of Air Force tanker contractor heats up by Vyomika Jairam (13 AUG 2010)
Air Force chief: Tanker process won't be rushed by Roxana Tiron (12 OCT 2010)
Northrop Grumman CEO: 'No Regrets" About Quitting Air Force Tanker Competition from the National Defense, NDIA's Business and Technology Magazine (19 OCT 2010)
For those of you who would like a more in depth info about the program, I suggest that you read the following.
Air Force KC-X Tanker Aircraft Program: Background and Issues for Congress by Jeremiah Gertler (14 MAY 2010)
|
