Quote Originally Posted by pjmunson View Post
Example: Massive defense corporation A has an analytical branch. It is contracted to do a study of issue X for a TRADOC-like entity. It also has branches that can provide manpower and systems that will carry out the recommendations of such a study. The TRADOC-like entity is under no obligation to implement the findings of the study, but the contractor in this case is telling the TRADOC-like entity what it needs. It the TRADOC-like entity decides to implement the findings of the study, won't corporation A be likely to have a huge advantage in the bidding? Not to mention that the surveys that the high-paid PhD and his crew came up with would fail any graduate level research design class as completely flawed.
Companies that perform studies and analysis for organizations like TRADOC are usually small and specialized, and generally aren't involved on the acquisition side.

One of the major problems, highlighted by the GAO, is that massive XYZ corporation isn't doing the necessary up front system analysis and engineering. Usually, because it's written out of the contract, inevitably resulting in program failure.

I wind up doing what I think is necessary to get the right tools to the soldier, but my magic phrase is "I'm always happy to work on a best effort basis at the direction of the customer." As a result, I have data in hand when I have to explain why F still equals Ma, why survivability does indeed trump ease of maintenance, etc. I will also walk away from a contract where the customer demands I do something stupid.

Unfortunately, too many contractors think about having to go home and explain how they got laid off or fired for not doing something stupid. ( And before you judge them harshly, take a look at your own family and think real hard.) They cave, and a lot of them especially cave when confronted with someone from the government side who walked into the contract having predetermined that all contractors are lying thieves out to cheat the government. I don't, but I've paid a price and do not begrudge anyone who made a different decision.

It's your adversarial attitude I'm responding to. Here's some free advice: Stay out of acquisition. If you ever go into the acquisition side with the attitude you've shown here, you will enjoy a self fulfilling prophecy. The only contractors who will want to work with you will be the ones who live down to your expectations.