[toomuchtodo]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/04/tsa-spent-47000-o...

"According to Mashable, the Transportation Security Administration apparently spent $47,000 on an app that is essentially a random number generator—it was briefly used to assign travelers to left or right lanes at airports.

As the website reported: “The app was used by TSA agents to randomly assign passengers to different pre-check lines as part of a now-discontinued program called ‘managed inclusion.’”

Such an app is widely viewed to be an extremely simple program to write. Many are questioning why a government agency overpaid for the app.

The revelation was published Sunday evening by Kevin Burke, a San Francisco-based developer, who received TSA documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act Request. The documents showed a $1.4 million price tag. However, the TSA has clarified that figure, stating that the app actually cost $47,000."

[mikestew]

Such an app is widely viewed to be an extremely simple program to write.

Writing the app, as anyone who has done any consulting work would know, is often the easiest, least time-intensive part of a project. Anyone saying to themselves, "$47K? I could do it in ten lines of code!" should stick to coding and let the contract procurement folks do their job.

(I'm merely the messenger; hate-game disclaimers apply.)

[nmrm2]

Nail, meet head.

That said, 47k still seems crazy high. I've never done Gov't consulting though. One hopes hardware was included in the contract?

[jotux]

I think the contract was just for software, probably in addition to installation, roll-out, training, and support.

[thaumasiotes]

> Nail, meet head.

The head is part of the nail. The flat part at the other end from the point. ;)

[nmrm2]

Yes, well, the hammers are hundreds of dollars a piece so we have to make due ;-)

[morgante]

$47k actually seems kind of reasonable, when you consider the overhead (much of which is fixed price) of any government contract.

[hockley]

Gotta pay the testers, trainers, contracts team, and sales commission.