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Time was, suppliers were so eager to sell anything to the DOD, on any terms, that they would turn their entire business models inside out just to get Federal contracts. The idea of said suppliers having any leverage, of any kind, in contract negotiations would have been completely absurd. Has that really changed?

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Stuff being bought went from commodities that could be produced by anyone to state-of-the-art black magic that only a select few might be able to deliver in the future. It's not surprising that the leverage has shifted towards the supply side.

There is an element of truth to this. It's also true that the U.S. government is a terrible customer, especially for bespoke or expensive military goods. However, you can see my other comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47652717 for what is likely the greater contributing factor. Different outcomes require acquisition leaders that prioritize doing the right thing for the public, even if that pits them against their internal government "customers".

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