UPDATE: I've attached the RFP, which we just got. Post away!!
Click HERE for the revised RFP document.
The Pentagon just announced that Shay Assad, OSD's director of defense procurement and acquisitions policy, will brief reporters about the amended tanker RFP at 3 p.m.
A few items of interest, for perspective. former Air Force Secretary Mike Wynne and I spoke recently about the options the Pentagon has. They are very few if John Young, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, stuck with what he said he would stick with. First, the requirements would not change. So the Northrop Grumman team would seem to come out ahead on this score since all the OSD and Air Force personnel who have talked about this agree that Northrop does the best job overall of meeting or exceeding the requirements..
Second, Wynne agreed that since Young made clear a dual buy would just be too expensive that also tips things in Northrop's favor. Young said several times after the GAO ruling that buying tankers from both companies would add substantial costs, costs the Pentagon was not willing to shoulder.
Still, Wynne professed to like the idea of a dual buy. But I think that's because he believes Boeing couldn't get enough planes in the air and certified quickly enough and believes it would, in the long run, just strengthen Northrop's position.
Finally, while it may not be "factual," the swagger of senior EADS personnel before and during the Farnborough Air Show was palpable. They have little doubt they will not lose to Boeing, amended RFP or not. Boeing personnel, on the other hand, were clearly on the defensive during Farnborough. More after the briefing.
