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From: root@vortex.UUCP (The Superuser)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: $1288 ashtrays
Message-ID: <730@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Aug-85 23:59:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.730
Posted: Thu Aug  1 23:59:18 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Aug-85 21:17:41 EDT
References: <532@wjvax.UUCP>
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 29

I am most definitely aware of how government purchasing is done.
And I can certainly understand how out-of-line costs are more likely
to occur with heavily spec'd military hardware.  But many of these
overruns are on things like office stools and other equipment that
isn't even for military use--just plain old office equipment that
wasn't heavily spec'd.

What has happened is pretty clear.  The current purchasing 
system has created an environment that makes it easy for "legit"
overruns to occur and also easy for contractors to take 
advantage of the situation and start piling on lots of "non-legit"
costs as well.  When the government puts out a long spec on 
a screwdriver, does the supplier say, "Sure, we'll build you a special
screwdriver for that--$200" -- or do they say, "Our regular screwdriver
like we buy for our non-DoD work will meet that spec just fine--$2."

There's a question of honesty.  I think many contractors take the
P.T. Barnum view--"There's a sucker born every minute."  They seem to figure
that if the purchaser is so silly that they don't realize they're being
fleeced, the seller doesn't have any responsibility to point out the problem,
or the cheaper places simple parts and tools could be bought.

Apparently some contractors feel that a complex government spec is
an easy excuse for throwing all ethics out the window.  And we won't
dwell on some of the even worse abuses charged to government
contracts like office parties--they're a drop in the bucket compared
with the screwdrivers, ashtrays, and stool feet.

--Lauren--