DeLauro Seeks Re-bid On 'Marine One' Helicopter Program.

No one can ever accuse Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) of giving up, even when the odds are heavily stacked against her.

United Technology Corp.’s Sikorsky helicopter unit – located in Connecticut – lost out a couple years ago to Lockheed Martin and its European partner, Finmeccanica SA's AgustaWestland, on a Navy contract to build the new generation of “Marine One” presidential helicopters.

The prestigious contract, awarded after a bitter lobbying campaign by both sides, is worth more than $6 billion. But the program has run into numerous problems, caused in part by White House requests for additional capabilities for the new helicopters. And the production snafus have led to some defense analysts to suggest there’ll be billions of dollars in cost overruns and long delays.

DeLauro, sensing a chance to get home-state Sikorsky back in the game, circulated a letter to her House colleagues last week, seeking support to reopen bidding on the contract. DeLauro will send out a letter soon to Defense Secretary Robert Gates asking him to "re-bid" the program, arguing that Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland can't get the job done.
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