The companies competing for the U.S. Air Force's combat, search and rescue (CSAR-X) helicopter replacement fleet have adopted a mostly wait-and-see public posture following this week's release of the revised request for proposals (RFP).

But losing bidder Sikorsky had some stronger remarks. "We are extremely disappointed," company spokesman Paul Jackson said. "The Air Force has been largely unresponsive to our questions and concerns."

Sikorsky, along with the other unsuccessful bidder, Lockheed Martin, protested the Air Force CSAR-X award to Boeing of a contract worth between $10 billion and $15 billion for more than 140 helicopters.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) upheld the protest on the grounds of certain lifecycle costs-related issues, saying that another two dozen protests points did not reach the same level of concern.

The Air Force has released the revised RFP to address those lifecycle costs issues -- and only those issues (DAILY, May 31). Just how narrow the service's focus will be can be gleaned by its answers to questions raised by the competitors, recently acquired by the DAILY.

Question number 9 asks if Operations and Support (O&S) items will be re-evaluated. The service's answer: "No. The purpose of the RFP Amendment ... changes ... is to clarify how the (O&S) ... were calculated in the original evaluation. The Air Force will not re-evaluate O&S costs ... as part of its Amendment ... evaluation."

Another question regarding offeror-proposed manpower loading points out the Air Force revised RFP says the offeror "shall not make adjustments to other factors, such as spares, support/test equipment, facilities, etc.," and asks if the Air Force plans to make any adjustments on its own.

The reply: "Offerors provided their spares/support/test equipment, and other savings as part of their original O&S cost proposal. There will be no adjustments made to these areas."

But the Air Force itself could make what it calls "realism adjustments" to the bidders proposals, based on the review and recommendations of "subject matter experts [SMEs]" -- whom the Air Force describes as ""highly skilled helicopter maintenance personnel from the offeror's Air Force CSAR customer."

"These subject matter experts," the service says, "possess significant experience maintaining rotorcraft under real-world conditions to include wartime deployments. The SMEs are familiar with Air Force maintenance practices and have appropriate knowledge and qualifications to evaluate the data."

Some of the adjustments may include compliance with service safety standards, technical orders and general maintenance practices, which could lead to a different number of personnel for support or maintenance, the Air Force said.