Alabama Senator Trys To Intervenes In Tanker Competition

(MoneyWatch)  It was understood that a great deal of politics would be involved in the Air Force's third attempt to buy an aerial tanker. Boeing would be supported by the Washington and Illinois delegations and Northrop by Alabama. EADS intends to assemble the aircraft for Northrop at a new plant in Mobile, AL.

Northrop has complained that Boeing was given pricing data for it and EADS' bid during the protest of the last go around. It feels that this will allow Boeing to make a better priced proposal. The Air Force and Defense Department have said that the information provided was old and will not affect this contest.

Now Senator Sessions of Alabama is trying to have an amendment passed to the Defense Appropriations Bill as it comes up for consideration next week. According to The Mobile Press-Register this amendment will require the Air Force to provide pricing data to the competitors. Until this is done no money may be spent on the program which means the source selection cannot go forward.

This amendment may be difficult for the full Senate to pass as it is very discrete and may not have much support from 50 other Senators although one could assume that Senator Shelby also of Alabama might vote for it. There will be hundreds of amendments proposed including many like this that are very specific to one program or issue. There is then the Conference to go through and the House may want it stripped out even if the Senate likes it.

This is just the first of many steps that will play out in this large and important procurement. Large and important both to the U.S.'s security and to Boeing and EADS.