For the record NASA has never built its own rockets. They have always subcontracted the work to companies. The Saturn V rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon was built by the following companies:
Boeing
Douglas Aircraft
Rocketdyne
IBM (guidance computers)
And many others
Even today NASA will buy a launch on a ULA Delta or Atlas rocket.
The only difference is that SpaceX is providing the completed rocket instead of subcontracting rocket parts. But NASA has always used tax-payer dollars with private companies.
I understand that, but it’s all been very public. Even the military stuff was subject to award and open bidding.
Spacex was meant to be different.