Sept 24 (Reuters) - The Pentagon announced new criteria on Thursday for how it would buy 179 refueling planes, telling lawmakers in a document obtained by Reuters that the rules did not favor one defense contractor over another. [ID:nN24469904]
Boeing Co
The Pentagon's new rules:
* Set 373 mandatory requirements, down from over 800 in the last competition.
* Allow bidders to enhance their proposals by meeting 93 additional non-mandatory requirements.
* Require bidders to ensure their aircraft are ready to go to war on day one.
* Use the highest score in non-mandatory areas to decide the winning proposal, if the adjusted prices are within one percent of each on price.
* Adjust the prices offered by companies according to a model that evaluates "wartime effectiveness" of different sized aircraft under various war scenarios.
* Adjust prices for fuel burn and any military construction costs linked to the new airplane.
* Require delivery of first production aircraft in 2015.
* Require first tankers to start military operations in 2017.
* Set a three-phase approach to replace the existing fleet of 415 KC-135 and larger KC-10 military refueling planes.
* Require fixed price offers for development, procurement and initial contractor support.
* Require a best value -- not lowest price -- approach in choosing the winning proposal.
* Hold companies accountable for promised prices and performance, with price adjustments if they do not meet their promised parameters. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)