GAO Sustains Protest Of Tanker Award

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday sustained Boeing’s protest of the $35 billion KC-X aerial refueling tanker award to the team of Northrop Grumman and EADS. The watchdog agency recommended that the U.S. Air Force reopen the bid process and make a new selection consistent with the decision.

“Our review of the record led us to conclude that the Air Force had made a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. We therefore sustained Boeing’s protest,” stated Michael R. Golden, GAO managing associate general counsel for procurement law.

Boeing’s proposal is based on the KC-767 tanker; Northrop Grumman/EADS, on the KC-45 tanker version of the Airbus A330.