WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon plans to assess Boeing's ( BA ) improvement plans and Justice Department deal before determining what impact the planemaker's plan to plead guilty could have on its government contracts, a U.S. defense official told Reuters on Monday.

A guilty plea potentially threatens the company's ability to secure lucrative government contracts with the likes of the U.S. Defense Department and NASA.

The official added the Pentagon will conduct the review "to make a determination as to what steps are necessary and appropriate to protect the Federal Government" under federal contracting regulations.