Pentagon fails to meet goals for contractor competition

[unhappycamper]

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/07/pentagon-fails-meet-goals-contractor-competition

Pentagon fails to meet goals for contractor competition
By Christian Davenport
The Washington Post
© July 5, 2014

WASHINGTON

One is perhaps the best-known helicopter in the world, Marine One, and uses the south lawn of the White House as its landing pad. The other, the combat rescue helicopter, performs the "sacred mission" of saving downed troops.

Winning the contract for either program would be a major coup for any defense contractor, worth hundreds of millions. But when the bidding opened for both contracts, only one company came forward.

Now, the Army is looking to replace its training helicopters. But the program isn't being put out to the market for competition. Rather, the Army intends to purchase an additional 100 Lakota UH-72 helicopters from Airbus. No chance for other companies to bid.

With defense budgets tightening, Pentagon acquisitions officials say that fostering competition is one of the best ways to drive prices down and ensure efficiency. And defense officials have made competition top priority, saying in a recent report that it "is the single best way to motivate contractors to provide the best value."

[Mnemosyne]

1. Bidding for contracts? What a unique idea to save money.

[bemildred]

2. The Pentagon has no intention or doing any such thing. nt