Every launch vehicle and item put in space by NASA was built by private contractors, lowest bid. Who did you have in mind to build this stuff at half the price???
Or, are you shooting off your mouth out of ignorance????
I will concede, without arguement that your point is probably true that the shuttles were built, being as safe as possible at the lowest reasonable cost, because with most government beaureaucracies it isn’t the product that is the most costly part.
It is the administration.
It will be interesting how these freed up engineers and scientists help Virgin and the other space companies get into space.