Ah........ All now becomes clear! The people you invited over, Mikekegland, were the DLO chaps and chapesses that buy the spares and provide support to the existing aircraft, not the DPA team that buy the new kit.
BTW, the operators (as Customer 2) do help write the requirement, together with the Customer 1 bods and and much crystal ball gazing from the OA people.
The procurers don't write the requirement, neither do the suppliers (although they certainly try hard to influence it to suit their pet products).