Bulgarian Air Force chief: Only fighter jet bids submitted by deadline to be considered
The group examining the offers to supply Bulgaria with fighter jets will examine only those submitted in accordance with the request for proposals, Air Force chief Major-General Tsanko Stoikov said on October 12.
His comments came a few days after reports that Italy, which met the deadline for proposals by submitting an offer of second-hand Eurofighters, also was offering new ones.
By the October 1 deadline for bids to supply the Bulgarian Air Force with fighter jets, apart from the Italian bid, two offers came from the United States, for new F-16s and new F-18s, while Sweden once again put forward its offer for new Gripen jets.
Stoikov said that the group was adhering to the conditions that had been set in the request for proposals.
He said that “to avoid attacks” the group would present a clear justification of the conclusions that it reached.
The transparency of the procedure ensured that there would be no possible appeal against the findings of the working groups, Stoikov said.
Two separate committees are evaluating the proposals.
Stoikov said that he was not concerned that the Defence Ministry did not expect a contract for new planes by the end of 2018.
“It is more important to make a reasoned choice and then to have a good deal with the supplier,” Stoikov said.
