GAO Dismisses Hawker Beechcraft Protest; Company Responds with Federal Suit

The Government Accountability Office has dismissed Hawker Beechcraft’s protest against the Air Force over the elimination of the company’s AT-6 aircraft in the Light Air Support competition. But Hawker Beechcraft is not abandoning its fight, announcing on Tuesday that it is filing a suit with the Court of Federal Claims. GAO auditors found that Hawker Beechcraft failed to request a debriefing from the Air Force and to file its complaint with GAO within the statutory deadlines after the Air Force notified the company of its exclusion from further consideration, according to GAO’s decision, dated Dec. 22. “We are disappointed in the GAO’s decision as we were relying on their investigation to provide transparency into what has been a bidding process of inconsistent, irregular, and constantly changing requirements,” said Bill Boisture, the company’s chairman and CEO. He added, in explaining the company’s decision to file the federal suit: “We find ourselves still without answers, which is unacceptable, and continue to believe that our exclusion from this important contract was made without basis in process or fact.” For more, continue to Getting Heavy.