There is also another very good reason for the 'right' tenderer to be awarded the contract. It's possible that some very highly paid help with scrambled egg on their caps can then be hired on their retirement from the Service. They have a lot of useful connections you see. And the MIMechEs, FRAeSs and other assorted post nominals look ever so good on their swish letterheads! Mind you, their usefulness deteriorates over some 18 months or so, so they generally don't last long in the real world. I've even known some firms actually hire ex Service types to guide them through the tendering process, and it sticks out like a dogs dicky when the tender response is written in JSP101 format and reads like an Air Publication. But, all's fair in love and war I suppose. It's so galling though that it's the taxpayer that always picks up the bill when projects fail.