Following a ruling by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), the US Department of Defense is to reopen bidding for the USD35 billion US Air Force (USAF) KC-X aerial refuelling tanker contract. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on 9 July that the Pentagon would issue a revised request for proposals (RfP) in the coming weeks, with the aim of awarding a contract in December. "Industry, Congress and the American people all must have confidence in the integrity of this acquisitions process," he said. "I believe the revised process will result in the best tanker for the air force, at the best price for the American taxpayer." In June the GAO recommended the USAF reopen the contracting process after Boeing protested a February contract award to a Northrop Grumman/EADS North America consortium. The GAO cited "a failure to evaluate proposals in accordance with the [RfP] criteria and requirements and to conduct discussions in a fair and equal manner."
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