Maneuver Over Copters Is Opposed

[unhappycamper]

The Air Force wants to buy 93 Black Hawk helicopters.


Maneuver Over Copters Is Opposed
By CHRISTOPHER DREW
Published: November 7, 2010

The Air Force has taken a beating over its contract process in recent years. But if officials thought a new approach would avoid controversy, they have been disappointed.

As the Air Force tries to speed its purchases, it is considering using an obscure 1932 law to buy at least $1 billion worth of helicopters without competitive bids, government officials say.

Watchdog groups and some industry officials are bristling at the idea, saying it would hand the business to Sikorsky, a unit of United Technologies of Hartford, Conn., without giving other companies a chance to offer what could be substantially lower prices.

The law, the Economy Act of 1932, was part of Herbert Hoover’s efforts to cut purchasing costs in the Depression by letting federal agencies buy equipment from one another without seeking bids from industry. Military analysts say it now eases transfers of fuel and computers, but it has hardly ever been used to buy weapons or aircraft.

Under the proposal, which is being debated in the Pentagon, the Air Force would add its order for as many as 93 Black Hawk helicopters to an Army contract with Sikorsky. The Army would order the extra craft, then sell them to the Air Force.



unhappycamper comment: Color me confused. Wikipedia sez these things cost $14 million dollars a pop.

93 x $14 million = $130.2 million dollars. What's the other $870 million dollars for?

[Exilednight]

1. "What's the other $870 million dollars for?" Well, let's ......

be generous and say that 25% of the other $870 million will towards pay and benefits for their employees. But the rest is going to be pure profit that will towards lining the pockets of the already rich and then find loopholes to avoid paying taxes.

[droidamus2]

2. As usual

Upper management types, even in the military, think the rules only apply to those who can't figure out a way around them. Yes, apparently and technically this 1932 law makes this 'legal' but I also think it shows that those doing the purchasing didn't like the current controls so they trolled around to find some technicality that would 'hide' their purchase from those doing the oversite. At least somebody noticed what they were doing and called them on it.

[JDPriestly]

3. What's the other $870 million dollars for? Corruption. Plain old fashioned corruption.