The Air Force said Wednesday that it now plans to issue a “draft request for proposal amendment” to the original combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program offerors in May. USAF then plans to meet with each offeror—Boeing, the original winner, Lockheed Martin, and Sikorsky—to “address comments and answer questions prior to the release of the official RFP amendment.” Earlier, USAF had agreed to issue an RFP amendment to address the problem the Government Accountability Office cited with the original award, in which GAO said USAF failed to adhere to its own guidelines for considering operations and support costs. USAF officials apparently hope to deflect new criticism, considering there is significant Congressional interest in the re-award of the CSAR-X.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
