[darawk]

You can call it an 'excuse', but you can also call it a corroborating opinion, like I said. If you're going to do something unpleasant, it can be good to get an outside opinion, so you don't do it if it's not actually necessary. Characterizing it as just an "excuse" or "cover" to do what you wanted to is unnecessarily cynical and reductionist. And even if it were true, so what?

[jaclaz]

You can of course classify or characterize it as you wish and like, still you will have spent an (usually awful) amount of money in consulting fees (from a company that isn't going too well) for a "corroborating opinion".

Your company, your money, your freedom to spend it as you prefer.