Air Force Says Company Missed Deadline By Five Minutes

A report from the GAO indicates that it does not have sufficient evidence to rule that the U.S. Air Force intentionally delayed a messenger delivering a tanker bid from U.S. Aerospace, but it was still undecided as to whether that bid was submitted on time.

U.S. Aerospace, who partnered with Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov to bid on the KC-X replacement tanker program, claimed that the Air Force deliberately delayed the messenger bringing the proposal on deadline day because of political issues, according to the company's complaint. Reuters reports that Ralph White, the head of GAO's bid protest division, said there was "insufficient evidence" to back up that claim. Still to be determined by the GAO is whether that bid actually arrived on time. The Air Force says they missed the deadline by five minutes, and therefore they could not entertain the bid.

Few defense analysts give the bid much credence. U.S. Aerospace is a relatively small company, when compared to bidders Boeing and EADS/Airbus. Reuters reports that skeptics also say they doubt that the Air Force would award such a major contract to the Ukrainian company.

However, Michael Goldberg, one of the directors for U.S. Aerospace, said the bid was serious, and not an attempt to beef up the company. He said if the protest is not upheld by GAO, he plans to pursue the case in federal court.

FMI: www.gao.gov