At the opening panel of PBI Media‘s SATELLITE 2003 conference being held in Washington, D.C., this week, PanAmSat [Nasdaq: SPOT] CEO Joe Wright questioned whether there is an open process in awarding contracts for U.S. government satellite services.

“PanAmSat has got a simple process. Let there be a level playing field. I believe there has been a tradition” of the U.S. government using “established relationships” in awarding contracts.

Wright said that U.S. government business will play a more important part of PanAmSat’s business going forward, but he also believes there needs to be more clarity in terms of government contracts for satellite capacity. “The government is going to be an increasing part of our business and they are going to require us to meet their demands. But, they are going to have to tell us what their plans are.”