MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- Members of Alabama's congressional delegation have signed a letter saying the process for selecting a contractor for a proposed $35 billion Air Force tanker contract must be changed.
The letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says a draft request for proposals "is fundamentally flawed and does not achieve your stated objective of conducting a best value competition that is fair, open and transparent."
The competition pits Chicago-based Boeing Co. against a team led by Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.
Northrop and EADS have announced plans to build an assembly plant in Mobile if their bid is selected.
The letter argues that the draft fails to address the urgency of buying new tankers and diminishes the value of superior performance.
