Tallsar - if everyone is whiter than white in this process, why was it left to the subject matter experts who were drafted in from the mil to highlight a raft of fabrications and half-truths regarding claimed aircraft performance and fit? The IPT would not have noticed and when some of the shortfalls were highlighted - they were content to take said shortfalls at risk without understanding them until a very robust case was made.
Both bidders are in the business of making money - the financial crisis we find ourselves in now shows quite clearly the risks that people will take to make profit and the financial institutions are the worst of the lot, I suspect that their 'scrutiny' is reserved for the bottom line only.
I am sure a lot was learned from the interim process - but clearly not enough to prevent CHC from continuing to be part of it despite their failure to provide aircraft at the right spec and a very poor history of industrial relations with their crews.
I very much doubt that what we end up with post 2012 will be anything to crow about - it will be another millstone around the Govts and MoDs necks when unforeseen circumstances require more taxpayers cash whilst the shareholders are receiving their healthy returns and the senior management enjoy bonuses and share options.