Sessions Fights For Level Playing Field In Tanker Contest

Senator Jeff Sessions took his fight for a level playing field in the $40 billion tanker contest to the Senate floor.

After Boeing protested last year's win by Northrop Grumman and EADS, the Department of Defense showed them NG/EADS' pricing information. In fact, the DOD says it's customary for the winning proposal to be shared with other competitors. But in most cases, the result of the competition is not up in the air.

During a speech Tuesday, Sessions called on the Air Force to share Boeing's pricing data with Northrop Grumman/EADS.

“The Air Force ... certainly can’t take Northrop’s pricing data back—it’s already been given to Boeing. It’s too late for that. There is a simple fix to this problem. Both competitors should have the pricing data from the last competition. I think that would be the way to level the playing field. . . . It’s the right way to go forward with [replacing] the aging tanker fleet.”

Many local eyes are on every step of the tanker deal because Mobile could benefit greatly from a Northrop win. Northrop and its European partner EADS promised to assemble the tankers at Brookley Field and put thousands to work.