BTB Blog
Hope for Tanker Competition Remains
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.29, 2010
News reports indicate that European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EADS) will decide in the next two to three weeks whether to re-enter the bidding for the Air Force’s next generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft. EADS and former partner Northrop Grumman had recently pulled out of the running, leaving Boeing as the sole player on the field.
Increased competition in this process would be good news for American workers, taxpayers and women and men in uniform, and we hope that EADS decides to compete. With two companies in the race, the prospect of building two aircraft is revived.
By building both tankers we would create 100,000 American jobs – double the number as with a sole award. We would also speed the delivery of new tankers to our men and women in uniform, saving billions of dollars. Get the facts.
The Air Force already plans to order three different kinds of new tanker. We are simply calling for that process to be sped up by building the first two now. Building them Both means the taxpayer saves money, the military gets what it needs more quickly, and 100,000 American workers find good paying long lasting jobs.
Build Them Both calls on all Americans to urge EADS to get back in the game. But that’s not enough, we also need to convince President Obama that Building Them Both is right for America. Here’s why.
New York Times: Single Source Tanker Contract Increases Cost, Reduces Quality
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.18, 2010
Calling the tanker contract process a victory of politics and dysfunctional Pentagon procurement policies over cost-saving competition, a New York Times editorial today notes that the status quo, “leaves the Pentagon with only one bid – hardly a recipe to get the best tanker fleet at the best cost,” adding that, “The tanker tale is also one more reminder of why the Pentagon needs to clean up its procurement process.”
Building Them Both would benefit the country on numerous fronts. First and foremost, it would create 100,000 long-term, good paying jobs across the country at a time of nearly unparalleled economic crisis – nearly twice as many as with a sole-source award.
But, as the Times correctly notes, competition in the contracting process would also help drive down costs and boost quality. First, building both would ensure constant competition over the life of the tanker contract, creating an estimated $60 billion in taxpayer savings. Second, perpetual competition would also ensure higher quality aircraft, with each company striving to produce the best tanker possible in order to maximize its share of the deal.
The Times notes, “The Air Force seems stuck with the politically feasible jet.” The president came to office promising change over politics as usual. Please join us in urging President Obama to help create 100,000 jobs now, save billions of taxpayer dollars, and give our men and women in uniform the best possible tanker, by Building Them Both.
Bloomberg: Single-Source Tanker Contract “Outrage” for American Taxpayer
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.15, 2010
In a recent opinion piece, Bloomberg’s Celestine Bohlen notes that lack of competition in the tanker contract not only results in fewer American jobs created, but dramatically raises the cost to American taxpayers.
“If competition is needed anywhere, it is in major defense procurement programs,” Bohlen writes. “Single-source contracts can result in as much as a 20 percent increase in cost…American taxpayers…should be truly outraged..after all, they are the ones who are going to have to pay for it.”
Bohlen notes that President Obama ordered a dramatic decrease in the volume of no-bid government contracts last year, “saying the days of giving defense contractors a blank check were over.”
With the tanker project set to become the, “largest sole-source contract in recent Pentagon history,” the president has a historic opportunity – with the stroke of a pen – to create 100,000 American jobs and reduce taxpayer burden by ensuring competition. How? By ordering the Pentagon to Build Them Both.
Build Them Both – Protect American Trade
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.11, 2010
Politico reports, this morning, that the President has asked Boeing CEO Jim McNerney to co-chair the revived President’s Export Council which it calls the “principal private sector advisory committee on international trade.” Given European outrage over the decision by Northrop/EADS to pull out of the tanker competition due to what both companies claim is a biased RFP, perhaps the President and McNerney should seriously discuss building them both.
Think about it.
American defense contractors (and their workers) rely very heavily on exports. Refusing to allow overseas defense manufacturers to compete for U.S. market share provides European countries and others an incentive to stop buying U.S. products. That means fewer jobs for Americans.
Through a plan to Build Them Both, we reduce that incentive and protect American jobs. Better still, we create 100,000 American jobs by providing new tankers more quickly and at a lower cost than through a sole-source contract.
Northrop Refusal to Bid on Air Force Tanker Bad News for American Workers, Men and Women in Uniform, Taxpayer
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.08, 2010
President Obama, Let’s Hire Both Companies, Create 100,000 Jobs, Save Taxpayer Hundreds of Millions
Washington, DC (March 8, 2010) – Today, Build Them Both campaign manager Carrie Giddins issued the following statement in response to Northrop Grumman’s decision not to bid on the Air Force aerial tanker contract:
“Northrop Grumman’s refusal to submit a proposal in the Air Force aerial tanker competition is bad news for American workers, our men and women in uniform, and for the taxpayer. With only one company seeking the contract, 50,000 jobs that would have been created will not be. In addition, without an ongoing competition there is no way to control costs, to the detriment of our military and taxpayer.
“Build Them Both urges President Obama to step in and – with the stroke of a pen – hire each company to build its proposed new tanker. This will put 100,000 Americans to work, provide the Air Force more tankers more quickly and offer massive taxpayer savings over building only one.”
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Build Them Both Campaign Welcomes Boeing’s 767 Tanker Announcement – First Step Toward Building Both Tankers, Creating 100,000 New Jobs
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.04, 2010
Washington DC (March 4, 2010) – The following is the statement of Build Them Both Campaign Manager Carrie Giddins concerning today’s announcement by Boeing of its plans to offer the “NewGen” 767-based tanker. Build Them Both welcomes Boeing’s announcement as it is a sign that the process toward creating the jobs necessary to supply the Air Force with new refueling tankers is moving forward.:
“We believe that it is crucial to our nation’s economic recovery for the Air Force to decide to Build Them Both.
“By building both the Boeing tanker and the Northrop Grumman tanker we will create 100,000 American jobs. We will also speed the delivery of new tankers to our men and women in uniform, thereby saving billions of dollars.
“The Air Force already plans to order three different kinds of new tanker. We are simply calling for that process to be sped up by building the first two now. Building them Both means the taxpayer saves money, the military gets what it needs more quickly, and 100,000 American workers find good paying long lasting jobs.”
Governors Ask President to Build Them Both
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.04, 2010
The Build Them Both campaign is encouraged by a report in today’s POLITICO noting that the governors of Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio and West Virginia have written President Obama, urging construction of both the Northrop Grumman and Boeing aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force. As reported, the governors note that building both would create many jobs in their states at a moment of severe economic strain.
“The governors’ letters to President Obama underscore the Build Them Both campaign’s message: By building both, we can create 100,000 new American jobs, something that is desperately needed in this economic downturn. Building Them Both will utilize money that the federal government already planned to spend in a manner that will be more cost-effective and it will deliver a new aerial tanker, which our men and women in uniform deserve,” said Build Them Both campaign manager Carrie Giddins.
Build Them Both Responds to Machinists Union
Written by Build Them Both | Mar.01, 2010
Following International Association of Machinists District 751 President, Tom Wroblewski’s decision to decline Build Them Both’s invitation to join our campaign to create 100,000 American jobs now, Build Them Both executive director, Daniel Kohns, responded to President Wroblewski, highlighting the advantages of building both tankers.
Kohns noted that building both is, “a perfect solution. More tankers at a lower cost to the taxpayer, creating more jobs and providing better equipment faster for our men and women in uniform.”
“I would look forward to revisiting IAM’s views on the matter,” Kohns concluded, “but, for the moment, we are sorry that you will not be joining us in a fight that not only would benefit more of your members, but America as a whole. Your participation will be sorely missed.”
American labor movement is integral to Building Them Both
Written by Build Them Both | Feb.25, 2010
Today, Build Them Both asked International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751 President, Tom Wroblewski for this key union’s support in the campaign to create 100,000 American jobs. In his letter to President Wroblewski, Build Them Both executive director, Daniel Kohns, expressed the hope that our coalition and the Machinists union will, “cooperate to achieve the fundamental goals that Build Them Both, the Machinists and the labor movement as a whole share: Getting America back to work.”
Kohns noted, “In Washington State alone – and in addition to the thousands of jobs that Boeing would support with this contract – Building Them Both would lead to the creation of more than 2,700 additional jobs, not to mention thousands of other jobs in some of the most economically challenged parts of our great country, such as at General Electric in Ohio and Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut building engines for the two tankers.”
Air Force Vice Chief of Staff (Ret.): Mr. President, buy both
Written by Build Them Both | Feb.24, 2010
In a FOXNews.com opinion piece, former US Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thomas McInerney asserted, “Mr. President…there is only one smart option…buy both.” Gen. McInerney noted numerous advantages of hiring both Boeing and Northrop Grumman to build two planes:
1. Creation of 100,000 rather than 50,000 jobs;
2. Tens of billions of dollars in cost savings to the taxpayer generated through ongoing competition between the two companies; and
3. Providing our men and women in uniform with the tools they require sooner than later.
