FSS To Be "Privatized" Soon

I wonder if it's fair to judge the impact of privatizing ATC on the
success or failure of this:


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AOPA ePilot Volume 7, Issue 4 January 28, 2005
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FAA TO ANNOUNCE WINNING FLIGHT SERVICE BIDDER NEXT WEEK
Sometime next week, the FAA is expected to announce the winner in
the government's bidding process (called an A-76 study) to operate
the 58 flight service stations (FSSs) located in the continental
United States. "Regardless of who wins the bid, members must know
that the current FSS service will not change immediately, and you
will continue to use FSS like you always have," said AOPA
President Phil Boyer. "But when it does change, it will get
better, with high standards for quality flight briefing services
and new performance metrics. Just as important, no user fees are
in the FSS future, and the government will keep responsibility for
operating the system." AOPA lobbied Congress for legislative
direction that tells the FAA to measure both the performance of
the FSS provider and customer satisfaction. The FAA will have to
show that pilots are satisfied with the quality, timeliness,
accuracy, and relevance of briefings. The contract will be awarded
to the bidder who offers the "best value" in A-76
government-speak. In addition to FAA employees, the contenders are
Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and DUATS-contractor
Computer Sciences Corporation. For the complete story, see AOPA
Online
( http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...050127fss.html ).





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AVflash Volume 11, Number 5b -- February 3, 2005

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LOCKHEED MARTIN WINS FSS CONTRACT...
All of the existing FSS positions in the FAA will be eliminated
and Lockheed Martin will hire its own staff. The FAA announced
Tuesday the company won the government's largest-ever competitive
outsourcing competition with a bid that will cut the number of FSS
offices by two-thirds (from 58 to 20) by 2007, intends to save
taxpayers $2.2 billion over 10 years, and at the same time pledges
to offer virtually on-demand availability of flight information
for pilots. Lockheed Martin beat four other applicants, including
a partnership between the existing FSS organization (members of
the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists, NAATS) and
the Harris Corp.
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#189085

...ANSWERS WHEN PILOTS NEED THEM, SAYS AOPA...
According to AOPA, pilots win because of performance standards
written into the deal. In a statement, AOPA President Phil Boyer
said pilots can soon look forward to phone calls being answered by
a live briefer within 20 seconds, radio calls answered within five
seconds and the requested information supplied within 15 seconds.
Urgent PIREPs would be entered into the system within 15 seconds
and routine reports updated within 30 seconds. Flight plans will
take no more than three minutes to file. There's no provision for
user fees in the contract.
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#189086

...OF USER FEES AND DIRE WARNINGS
NAATS President Kate Breen told AVweb she believes aircraft groups
have been sold a bill of goods, particularly on the issue of user
fees. She said that once Lockheed Martin takes over, she believes
it will be constantly looking for extra money to cover costs not
foreseen in the contract and the FAA won't have the funds.
"They're going to need fees to compensate for that," she said.
Breen also doubts the hoped-for service improvements can be
achieved with such drastic cuts to the operation. But she also has
more dire predictions for the system if Lockheed Martin's effort
fails.
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#189087