Members of Congress called on the Government Accountability Office to address concerns over a controversial Air Force refueling tanker contract.
Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., asked the investigative arm of Congress to respond “within thirty days” to a number of questions about the procurement process.
The senators sent the letter after the Air Force awarded the $35 billion deal to Northrop Grumman and EADS over the Boeing Co., which would have built its KC-767 tanker in the states Cantwell and Brownback represent.
Boeing filed a protest with the GAO two weeks ago, citing irregularities in the Air Force’s bid process. The Chicago-based aerospace company alleges the Air Force skewed the competition in Northrop-EADS’ favor after the consortium threatened to drop out of the contest.
If the GAO complies with the senators’ request, it will answer their questions before it is required to rule on Boeing’s protest. The GAO has until mid-June to answer Boeing.
Washington state’s Congressional delegation has rallied around Boeing’s protest, questioning Air Force officials in hearings.
Brownback and Cantwell’s letter calls on the GAO to report on the following questions:
• Does the U.S. Air Force sufficiently consider the lifecycle operating and maintenance costs, especially with respect to potentially high and volatile future fuel costs, in making its military aircraft procurement decisions? Given the fact that historical data indicates tankers typically do not dispense all of their available fuel and do not carry large cargo loads, what mission assumptions did the Air Force use for assessing fuel efficiency for both the tanking and airlift missions?
• Is the U.S. Air Force sufficiently considering the national security impact of rising fuel costs, the resulting possible constraints on operations, and the potential benefits of increased fuel efficiency in making procurement decisions such as the KC-X?
• Does the U.S. Air Force sufficiently consider the national security benefits of maintaining domestic labor, technology, skill, and know-how in the development and manufacturing of military equipment?
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