Agreed. In the example of the neighbouring UK SAR Helicopter Service, there is now a contract with a requirement for a low light capability "in low light conditions down to 2 mlux."
That only came about after 44 years of dodgy contracts.
If anyone has to take a kicking over the late arrival of NVG then it should be the coastguard authorities and governments who have sat on their hands over technical specs for civilian SAR on both these islands for too long.
The £15k a head is only the start, and with specialist cockpit requirements, ITAR restrictions and monster training costs, no contractor could possibly do this on their own.