By Emelie Rutherford
Texas’ U.S. senators have warned they could block the confirmation of the Army’s next acquisition chief if the service does not reconsider its award of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) contract to a Wisconsin firm.
The Texas delegation is vexed the Army granted the contract for a FMTV rebuy to Oshkosh, Wis.-based Oshkosh Corp. [OSK], instead of to BAE Systems, which has built the trucks in Sealy, Texas for 17 years. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is set to rule not later than next Monday on contract protests logged by BAE and fellow unsuccessful bidder Navistar International.
“We recently learned that President Barack Obama has named a candidate and announced an intention to nominate him for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology,” Texas Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison said in an Dec. 4 letter to Army Secretary John McHugh.
Obama picked Malcolm O’Neill to be the next assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology. The White House sent the nomination papers to the Senate on Dec. 3.
“We hope to be able to support this nomination when it comes before the Senate for confirmation,” the Texas senators wrote to McHugh. “However, as you may know, we are extremely disappointed with your Department’s recent Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) contract award and the misguided decision to abandon its longtime provider of FMTVs.”
Any single senator can place a “hold” on a presidential nomination and stall its congressional confirmation.
Cornyn told reporters yesterday he has “some serious concerns about the way the process went down” and is anxiously awaiting the GAO’s decision. While he has not yet placed a hold on O’Neill, he said, he “wouldn’t count it out.”
Even if the GAO determines the Army’s award to Oshkosh was proper, Texas lawmakers are expected to continue pushing for BAE to have another shot at the FMTV contract.
Cornyn and Hutchison wrote to McHugh the “decision by the Army must be reconsidered.”
“We have numerous questions regarding this contract, as well as the Army’s overall tactical vehicle program, which will need to be answered,” they wrote. “We will provide you with those questions in short order. The Army’s prompt and thorough responses will be both appreciated and also in the best interests of all concerned.”
Multiple Texas lawmakers complained about the FMTV contract to Dean Popps, the Army’s acting assistant secretary for acquisitions, logistics, and technology, in a meeting Dec. 3, the day before Cornyn and Hutchison sent their letter.
Wisconsin lawmakers, including House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.), have told Defense Secretary Robert Gates they expect the FMTV contract to remain with Oshkosh.
O’Neill’s nomination must be approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee and then the full Senate.
O’Neill, a retired Army lieutenant general, formerly directed the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, the precursor to the Missile Defense Agency. He also worked previously at Lockheed Martin [LMT], rising to vice president and chief technology officer earlier this decade. Now a consultant, O’Neill serves as chairman of the National Academies’ Board on Army Science and Technology.