It took an extra year and left the Air Force’s acquisition team with egg on its face, but Sierra Nevada Corp. still ended up with the $427 million contract to provide 20 light support planes to the Afghan air force.
The Air Force had to cancel the initial contract in 2011 awarded to Sierra Nevada Corp. after Beechcraft Corp. protested the award. Following the protest, the Air Force discovered mistakes made in the paper work throughout the acquisition process forcing the Pentagon to re-open the competition.
Air Force officials still chose the Super Tucano offered by Sierra Nevada Corp. and Brazil’s Embraer for a contract that could be worth up to $900 million over the life of the contract.
Keep reading this article at: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2013/02/28/u-s-acquisition-mistakes-put-afghan-air-forces-new-fleet-at-risk/