Reports Boeing Unhappy With Fixed Price KC-X Contract

Last week reports started to come out that Boeing (BA) may not bid on the KC-X new aerial tanker program. This was due to concerns that the Air Force’s plans for a fixed price development and first production contract may not allow the company to make a profit.

Boeing has denied these reports and it would certainly seem strange for them not to after all of the arguing and noise about giving the contract to them for American jobs. There is though real concern that the contract may limit the ability of the winner to make money on it. In the past fixed price contracts for development often have not worked costing the contractor millions that it can only hope to make up on production.

It would be somewhat ironic that the Pentagon’s desire to limit their cost and exposure would cause even more delays to this critical program. One that is so critical that a sixty day delay in the RFP process has been attacked by legislators, media, retired military and unions.