DoD IG Looks Into Former ULA VP's Comments
Pentagon opens probe of comments by former rocket executive, Yahoo
“Defense Secretary Ash Carter last week referred the matter to the Pentagon’s independent watchdog agency following strong statements by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain.”
Pentagon investigating United Launch Alliance over former executive’s SpaceX remarks, The Verge
“At the request of the Secretary of Defense, the OIG DoD has opened an investigation regarding assertions made by United Launch Alliance’s former Vice-President of Engineering relating to competition for national security space launch and whether contracts to ULA were awarded in accordance with DoD and Federal regulations,” wrote Randolph R. Stone, the deputy inspector general for policy and oversight at the Defense Department, in a memorandum today. Stone said the investigation would include “site visits, interviews, and documentation review.”
– ULA VP Quits Over Controversial Remarks, earlier post
Shouldn’t it be “”whether contracts were favored to allow ULA to be awarded”. Maybe I’m over thinking this but asking “whether contracts to ULA were awarded in accordance with DoD and Federal regulations” doesn’t seem the question is/was placed right. Key phrase “were awarded”…Exactly how many contracts has ULA won over SpaceX for DoD launches? Seems to me the question was asked just the right way to over look the big issue. But again…over thinking?
Unfortunately I could not find the regulations that were being referred to, but I believe that the distinction was made due to the subsidy. In other words it’s not that they are investigating whether the DOD is favoring ULA over SpaceX in these contracts, but whether some regulation was not being followed by ULA’s part in even bidding for the contract, because they are required to bid for contracts as part of the subsidy they receive.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong.