Bids reopened on modernizing firefighting planes
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -- The U.S. Forest Service is reopening bids for the next-generation of firefighting planes after two companies protested the initial award.
The $261 million, five-year contract was originally awarded to Missoula-based Neptune Aviation. It would have modernized the private fleet of large air tankers that drop retardant slurry on forest fires.
Canada-based Coulson Aviation and 10 Tanker of Victorville, Calif., challenged the Forest Service's contracting process in August.
The Forest Service rejected bids from jumbo-jet companies like 10 Tanker and for water-scooper planes that don't use retardant.
Neptune president Dan Snyder tells the Missoulian (http://bit.ly/WMiod70 the company received notice Friday the contract would be reposted with 31 amendments.
He says he is not yet sure what the Forest Service wants Neptune to do differently.
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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com
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