Huntsville competes for Boeing 777X Factory

SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing Co. is soliciting bids from more than a dozen locations that want to build the new 777X airplane. Company spokesman Doug Alder said Saturday that requests for bids began going out Friday. Boeing wants the proposals returned in a few weeks, and the company hopes to make a final decision early next year. Alder declined to specify the locations but said each had asked for the chance to compete for the 777X work and met the company's qualifications. Officials in Alabama, California, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Utah are among those who have talked about trying to lure Boeing. Production of the plane will likely mean thousands of long-term jobs for whichever location Boeing selects. Boeing had initially offered to build the 777X in Washington state, but the machinists union rejected a proposed contract. Washington state officials still plan to compete for the work.