Changes to the source-selection plan for the U.S. Air Force's $35-billion KC-X program are not likely to be substantial, and this could lead the procurement, effort down a familiar path of contractors threatening not to bid or more calls for a split buy. The senior Pentagon official overseeing the program says he is willing to address questions from the contractors, but he is sticking by the KC-X draft request for proposals (RFP). "It's a crystal-clear draft RFP, and we'll consider making changes to it on the basis of comments we receive," says acquisition czar Ash-ton Carter. But "consider" is the operative word. "We're going to try to preserve the attribute of clarity in the final RFP so that it's clear to everyone next summer, when a contract is awarded, why it was awarded," he says. The chances that some of the wholesale changes requested by both camps will be heeded are remote. But posturing on both sides continues, although it seems less likely to be as influential now as in the past.
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