(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after she was briefed on the Pentagon’s draft request for proposal (RFP) for the next generation of aerial refueling tankers. The RFP sets the requirements and evaluation criteria for the upcoming procurement competition.
“The Pentagon has pledged to run a fair and transparent competition, and I intend to hold them to their word. In the coming days, I will be reviewing the draft RFP in detail to ensure that it places competitors side-by-side in the starting gates.
“I will be looking specifically at how this RFP was constructed, how clearly it lays out what the Air Force wants, how requirements will be weighted, and why the consideration of illegal trade subsidies was left out. I have observed the Pentagon’s decision-making process for long enough to know that details matter.
“Most importantly, I will be examining whether this RFP finally brings clarity to how bids will be evaluated. There can be no more guessing games. Neither our airmen nor the American taxpayers can afford another muddled competition in which the rules change in the middle of the game. The Pentagon must communicate clearly and equally with all parties.
“I remain confident that on a level playing field Boeing and America’s aerospace workers will prevail. Our workers have a strong tradition of building tankers for the Air Force and they are ready today to do it again. We have the skills, the know-how, and the proven technology to deliver the best aircraft and to take another step to safeguard our industrial base.
“After too many missteps and false starts, the draft RFP offered today is the first step in what we all hope will be a process that delivers the very best plane for our warfighters, taxpayers, and country.”
