KenV - they are supposed to do a rigorous check to ensure a big company doesn't bid below cost to drive competitors out of the market...
Yes, they are supposed to do that and they did. Had the various problems not cropped up (bad wiring, quality control issues, over reliance on flight control software for the flying boom, a severe fuel contamination issue, etc) Boeing would have been on cost and on schedule. So their proposed price and schedule were reasonable and not a low ball bid to drive out competition.