Tanker outcome shocks local leaders

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) - Local and state leaders gathered Thursday afternoon at the Mobile Convention Center to hear the final decision on who would build the new aerial refueling tankers. The battle between EADS and Boeing has been going on years. When it was announced that Boeing had won the bid, disappointment clouded the room.

Had EADS been awarded the bid, the tankers would have been built at Brookley Field in Mobile.

"It was, everyone was disappointed, very disappointed. But you know, we haven't won everything we've gone after in the past. This one is especially disappointing for us because we have been working on it since 2004 and as we went through it we won it in 2008, the GAO overturned the competition. We thought we were perfectly postured to win it this time since EADS has already built the plane, and already flying the plane, already has it tested, and Boeing's plane is still on paper. We thought we were in good shape for the competition," Mayor Sam Jones said.

Governor Robert Bentley spoke with a ray of hope. He promised to continue to fight for more jobs in Alabama.

"The people in this area worked so hard, and that's going to pay dividends. We may have lost this contract, but the organization that has been put together and cooperation between all the people here, you put all those things together and we are going to get projects in this area and we are going to put people back to work," Bentley said.

"Deeply disappointing, but the people in our area and region have to know that we are going to keep looking ahead and we are going to build on the successes that we've had, and we have had a bunch, and we just have to keep moving ahead we have a united community here and we are going to remain united," Alabama State Senator Ben Brooks said.

Mayor Jones said he was shocked when he found out Boeing won.

"We thought we were perfectly postured to win it this time, since EADS has already built the plane and already flying the plane already has it tested, and Boeing's plane is still on paper. We thought we were in good shape for the competition," added Jones.

The select group of people who got word in a private room said there was no detail or explanation given. The said the only word from the Pentagon was Boeing won.

That was a tough answer to handle for city officials who have been working to get the contract for more than five years.

"If there is one thing you can say, you can't control everything. We have done everything. The effort here I'm very proud of, because everything we could do, we've done," Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson said.

County Commissioner Mercia Ludgood was disappointed as well.

"As a community I think we have a lot to be proud of because we were selected. We are now on an international map. We have 27 international companies who are headquartered here and this would have been number 28. So I mean we are not some little po-dunk town down here on the bay. We are a thriving city and we didn't get this one, but there are still a lot more opportunities out there," said Ludgood.

Politics has been blamed for more than one detour during the tanker contract saga. In 2008 after Northrup Grumman - EADS won the bid, Boeing contested and prolonged the bidding process until now. Alabama state leaders have maintained that politicians played a roll in that.

Boeing is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the hometown of President Barack Obama and his former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel is also mayor-elect of Chicago and will take office in May. With those close ties to Chicago and Boeing, the question of political power was a major part of the reaction to Thursday's announcement. Some local leaders said they believe politics played a part in the decision.

"I mean, obviously EADS had the better aircraft. They have an aircraft that is already in production. It was the best product for the money. So every indicator, every criteria, was met and surpassed with this aircraft of EADS so what can you say?" Hudson said.

Governor Bentley said the state Senators probably know more about the politics that went on than he does.

"Well, we lost. When you lose, do you always think it's fair? I'm sure there may have been some politics involved in it. Certainly, we can't blame it on that. Look, we worked hard, everyone here worked hard. We didn't win the contract, but there are good things that can come out of this," Bentley said.

Another question is, will EADS contest the awarding of the contract? Mayor Sam Jones said it's too early to tell.

"I'm not sure. I think we would have to see a debriefing form EADS and then look at the merits of the competition first before you can go into that, because the merits of the competition were really based on technical issues and price. I don't know where they were on that, I don't have any information on that, so we wait and see," Jones said.

Boeing recently announced it would be donating $5 million to the Air Force Museum Foundation. That money is