The damages must come out of the hide of the bureaucrats that dropped the ball, not the taxpayers. If no bureaucrats are ever held responsible, why would they ever take measures to prevent these failures from happening again? Why would THEY care?
Better idea than mine.
Of course, the free market might respond with “bureaucrats insurance”, much like the directors policies that companies carry. A few judgements, and they’d be appropriately priced... although it’s a safe bet our government would pick up the cost. Would that be an instance of the fabled public/private partnership?