The Wichita City Council applauds the Government Accountability Office for its recommendation to re-open the multi-billion-dollar contract process for a new U.S. Air Force aerial tanker.
The GAO action validates the Council’s action in March when it unanimously endorsed a resolution of protest regarding the Air Force decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman and a European partner.
The Council presented the protest petition to U.S. Congressman Todd Tiahrt and Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, joining them in their opposition to the Air Force decision.
The Council also congratulates Boeing for its persistence in challenging the Air Force decision and raising numerous questions that contributed to Wednesday’s decision by the GAO.
The Council is greatly appreciative of the tenacious campaign conducted by our congressional delegation to raise public awareness of the flawed decision to disregard the superior bid of Boeing. The City of Wichita is proud to have been an active partner with the delegation in that campaign.
Resolutions of support from the League of Kansas Municipalities and the South-Central Kansas Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) also were significant in focusing public attention on this issue. And perhaps most rewarding was the response from individual citizens who wrote letters to the editor, called the Congressional delegation and the White House and logged onto Congressional websites, helping to force a responsible outcome to this important issue.
The Council is confident that U.S. taxpayers will end up as the biggest winner if the Air Force follows the GAO recommendation and reopens the bidding process.
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