[pfflier]

As the other posters noted, the government acquisition process often brings these excess costs on through poor specifications and other processes that give suppliers little incentive to improve the process.

My point exactly. Where do you think that flowdown originates?

[T-Bird45]

“Where do you think that flowdown originates?”

No doubt in my mind that it originates in the politics behind the acquisition. Some Senator gets a project for a preferred contractor then gets significant sub-systems specified in his compatriots’ states/district so more political hacks are scratched. Look at the horse-trading that went on with base closures to see the game writ large.