The Pentagon unveiled final terms Wednesday of a lucrative competition to replace US aerial refueling tankers, saying it gave industry rivals Boeing and Airbus parent EADS a fair chance at winning the deal.
Senior defense officials presented to lawmakers the final request for proposals (RFP), which had been slightly amended, according to briefing papers obtained by AFP.
The Pentagon made 230 changes to the proposal after taking into account comments from the aviation rivals since September, the documents show.
The final guidelines clarified some technical details and allowed some flexibility to industry on contract pricing, but the basic terms for the deal have not dramatically changed.
"We have crafted this approach to favor no one except the warfighter and taxpayer," Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn said in the documents.
"We've steered straight down the middle."
The 35-billion-dollar competition pits Airbus parent EADS and its partner Northrop Grumman against arch-rival Boeing, with the two sides and their allies in Congress locked in a long-running battle.
Wednesday's proposal marks the latest attempt to replace the aging tanker aircraft fleet after years of controversy and scandal.
It remained unclear if the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company and Northrop would bid on the contract after accusing the Pentagon of favoring Boeing and threatening to pull out of the competition.
The Pentagon expected to receive proposals "in the next few months" and would deliver a decision on the contract "before the end of the summer."
Northrop Grumman said it had received the US Air Force's amended RFP but declined to comment until it had reviewed the bid requirements.
"Northrop Grumman acknowledges that today it has received the final Request for Proposals (RFP) for the US Air Force KC-X Tanker Modernization Program," said Randy Belote, spokesman for the US defense contractor.
"Northrop Grumman will analyze the RFP and defer further public comments until its review of the document has been completed," he said.
There was no immediate comment from Boeing.
According to Pentagon documents, the Air Force was seeking a "best value" offer that would weigh price along with other factors including technical features and performance.
EADS and Northrop have charged that the previous draft proposal stressed price without taking into account their plane's advantages.
The Pentagon also reaffirmed its stance that a dispute before the World Trade Organization over aircraft subsidies would not be considered in the competition, as the disagreement may not be resolved for years, the papers say.
The Defense Department also believes there is no conflict of interest over Northrop providing software to the Air Force for a computer refueling model that will be employed in the competition, according to the documents.
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