[Pxtl]

The requirements for working with the USGov are restrictive enough that only specific companies are capable of participating in the bidding process. The Democratic party itself and Obama's re-election are, by contrast, private organizations that are not limited by these rules.

Basically, it seems like the government sourcing process has shrunk the pool of potential bidders too small to provide a properly competitive marketplace for software for USGov customers.

[dclowd9901]

> Basically, it seems like the government sourcing process has shrunk the pool of potential bidders too small to provide a properly competitive marketplace for software for USGov customers.

And don't think for a second that this is unintentional.

[elicash]

The INTENT is to limit corruption. If they could give contracts to anybody they want, then they could reward donors.

I think it's actually achieved that goal. It comes at the expense of competence, however, as those with the best lawyers (not best developers) win contracts.

[vonmoltke]

Except it hasn't. The current system has turned what is left of the pool of potential bidders into key donors.

[shawkinaw]

So we have a choice between corruption and incompetence ... I'm pretty sure that corruption would actually be better, at least shit would work.

[thebulge]

We only have a choice of which we want to start with. Eventually we end up with both.

[rayiner]

> And don't think for a second that this is unintentional.

Okay, what if I do?

[dclowd9901]

Lobbying exists and is legal. Corruption is ever-present and well-documented, from 3rd to 1st world countries. Contracts are widely regarded by private industry to be obscenely overpriced at best, and highway robbery at worst. Senators are regularly known to block necessary bills to write in pet projects that will benefit their campaigns/constituents directly, even at the detriment of everyone else. Want an example? Northrop Grummond is hardly a scrappy small company, but they lost out to Boeing, even though Boeing was going to create a worse, more expensive aircraft, because senators in South Carolina didn't want their state to lose the jobs.

If you are anything but cynical regarding the government contract bidding process, you're asking to be made a fool of.

[stcredzero]

It was probably intended as something else, but it has probably become a way for discouraging competition through mechanisms like regulatory capture.

[rayiner]

It's not really enough to just handwave the word "regulatory capture." What's your evidence that the acquisitions process has been captured.

[stcredzero]

I'm obviously speculating here.