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WASHINGTON — A $50 million contract to promote the Thunderbirds aerial stunt team was tainted by improper influence and preferential treatment, a Pentagon investigation found.

In response, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne took administrative action against Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein, commander responsible for the Thunderbirds at the time, and two others, and referred action on two additional personnel to their commanders, the service said Thursday.

The Defense Department's inspector general found no criminal conduct, but laid out a trail of communications from Air Force leaders — including from its top officer, Gen. Michael Moseley — that eventually influenced the 2005 contract award.

"I am deeply disappointed that our high standards were not adhered to in this case," Wynne said.

"This is not how the Air Force does business."

He wrote to senior leaders telling them they must be scrupulous in avoiding the appearance of favoring contractors.

The report is the latest problem for Air Force leaders, who have faced questions about the service's handling of nuclear and nuclear-related materials, challenges to a recent $35 billion tanker-contract award and anger over their efforts to get more money for the F-22 Raptor.

The report did not find that Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, was personally involved in the contract decision. Instead, criticisms focused on numerous friendly e-mails he exchanged with the eventual winning bidders — messages that may have influenced the decision of the contract team.

The most senior officer reprimanded by Wynne was Goldfein, who commanded the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and was responsible for the Thunderbirds. Goldfein receives the bulk of the criticism, for his efforts to get a vote on the contract by the team reviewing the bids.

Goldfein also spoke favorably about the winning company, Strategic Message Solutions, to those on the review team. He declined to comment on the report.

"Goldfein's activities displayed a pattern of behavior that gave an advantage to SMS in competing for this contract and so constituted preferential treatment," the report says.

The four others cited in the report were members of the team reviewing the bids. They were the top two contracting officers as well as the commander and narrator for the Thunderbirds at the time. They were not identified.

The Air Force said the assistant U.S. attorney in Nevada declined to pursue criminal prosecution.

The report pointed to irregularities in several other contracts awarded by Air Force officials at Nellis.

Wynne ordered a review of contracting processes and a training program to correct problems raised by the investigation.

The investigation began in 2005 with allegations that Moseley and other Air Force officers tried to give the work to Strategic Message Solutions and its president Edward Shipley without going out for bids.