422 - "I know that Lockheed also bid on this contract. I have seen enough contracts being awarded to know that it's not the one who will do the best job, but who wines and dines the decision makers the most, or whose company the "decision makers" brother-in-law works for."
As one of those who was one of the 'decision makers' for many years, on multi-million dollar contracts, I can confirm the correctness of this statement. It is very hard to remain 'honest' (which I obviously did - otherwised I would have a chateau on the French Riviera and be a multi-millionaire (which I was offered)).
I certainly wouldn't be hanging around FReeRepublic fighting for honorableness and my country. I would be long gone, with 'my' bribes.
And, let me make another point, being honest in that job of being a 'decision-maker' can at times be very dangerous. As an honest man, It is like going into a den of thieves with a target on your back. I was lucky and got fired on only 2 jobs for awarding contracts to the best bidder rather than the 'favored' bidder. And I had to hire body guards at other times, after putting some people in jail.
Given the nature of most of these contracts, it's probably fair to state that Accenture won't F it up any more than Lockheed would have--or Perot's gang, or Ernst/Dasd.
Only question is how much the 'overrun' will be--not whether the system is ever finished and actually working...