The Pentagon has said it is prepared to extend the bidding deadline for a new fleet of US air refuelling tankers, if Europe's EADS makes a formal request.
EADS and US partner Northrop Grumman abandoned their planned bid for the $40bn (£26bn) deal on 9 March, saying the process was biased against them.
They argued that the terms of the tender favoured the US Boeing group.
EADS said it would consider whether to make a formal request for an extended deadline and so re-enter the bid race.
If EADS does do so, it remains to be seen whether it will go it alone this time, or again work on a joint bid with Northrop.
The Pentagon has offered to extend the deadline for bids by 60 days from the current 10 May.
EADS said it had told US defence officials that it needed an extra 90 days.
"We have firmly indicated that a 90-day extension would be the minimum time necessary to prepare a responsible proposal for this $40bn programme," said EADS North America spokesman Guy Hicks.
"We will consider the department's decision to offer a 60-day extension."
The Pentagon's offer follows after US President Barack Obama promised visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy that the bidding for the new fleet would be "free and fair."
