MoD asks for an apple and get a price. Offer is accepted and supplier plants orchard.
MOD asks for progress reports and gets them. All is well.
Excellent. Or, to cite an actual project from 2006.
1. MoD asks for an apple to be grown to a certain spec.
2. Bidder A says “We have an actual apple, to a better spec (sweeter tasting, stays ripe longer, bigger, cheaper). We can’t grow to your spec because it is so outdated we’ve thrown away all the seeds”.
3. Bidder B says “We haven’t a scoobie but we’ll plant a seed and see what happens. Come back in 3 years and our Director (a Junior Defence Minister) will give you a report”.
4. MoD awards contract to Bidder B who give up the ghost after 2 years.
5. Troops die from starvation.
6. F***wit promoted. Teaches all junior staff that above is best practice.