Taking Bids for the Next Beast

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Times: Taking Bids for the Next Beast

The Secret Service is shopping for a new car – something durable and roomy, and unlike anything else on the road.

The commander in chief's security detail this month began soliciting bids – officially, by publishing a Federal Business Opportunity – for a new presidential limousine to replace the five-year-old Cadillac now in service. The company that wins the contract will be responsible for developing the next-generation vehicle, including integrating the armor and fabricating the prototype, with an option to actually produce the car (or cars).

While civilian buyers can make their choice from hundreds of new models, the Secret Service is restricted to working with just a handful of automakers. The contract can be awarded only to a domestic automaker whose headquarters are in the United States.