Contenders Review USAF Draft Change to CSAR-X Bidding

Contenders for a $10-billion-plus contract to supply the U.S. Air Force with 141  or so next-generation combat search-and-rescue helicopters are reviewing the service’s draft of changes to the bidding process. The Air Force awarded the contract in November to Boeing for a CH-47 variant, but Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky Aircraft protested that award. The U.S. General Accountability Office upheld their protests and told the Air Force to rebid the contract because it had misjudged life-cycle costs for the contenders, the other two being Lockheed’s teamed bid with AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter with the EH101 and Sikorsky’s S-92. "We're releasing this draft RFP amendment to foster open communications with our partners in industry,” the Defense Dept. and Congress “as we respond to the recommendations made by the GAO," said Sue C. Payton, the Air Force’s top acquisition executive. She said the service. After discussions with the offerors, she said, the Air Force expects to release the actual amendment in early June. For related news