tag:www.thedonovan.com,2012://1/tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046- 2012-03-24T15:16:20Z We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 Movable Type 4.12 tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046 2009-07-19T22:17:43Z 2009-07-19T22:21:05Z

Boquisucio http://www.thedonovan.com sad saps taxpayers) just purchased 2 pounds of ham for $550,000.00 a pound.  Talk about bringing home the BACON.


Boq]]> tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91128 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com
That usually ends up costing the government money as the contractors have no choice to respond to what's in the RFP, which in some instances isn't really what the government actually wants.

But that's endemic to an organization (which has little choice, really) that puts that stuff together ad-hoc as an additional duty.]]> 2009-07-21T14:47:25Z 2009-07-21T14:47:25Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91126 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com So let's see here. You're upset because the government has a site where you can find out that they made a stupid purchase.

Nup. We're upset to *find* such a blatant example of it.

Or, if not of the actual purchase, a typo that indicates the person(s) entering the data either entered it incorrectly or was given erroneous data to begin with.

Either instance is proof that nobody's minding the store. Speaking of which, I've seen some real beauts on the dot-gov sites, to include job announcements for contract pilots that included a paragraph mandating that the applicant be capable of withstanding a ten-foot drop onto a concrete floor without sustaining damage.

I gave that one a pass...
]]> 2009-07-21T12:26:03Z 2009-07-21T12:26:03Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91124 Big Chief
You're upset because the government has a site where you can find out that they made a stupid purchase.   Huh?  That's the *POINT*.   Transparency doesn't magically eliminate government waste, it only displays them so voters *might* think before they vote.

The mere fact that people comb thru the list of contracts and find a stupid purchase is *GOOD*.  Maybe someone will try to figure out a way to improve government purchasing.   Having been involved in both sides of government procurement, the problem is not simple.  But I can only hope that people might think harder (or even think at all).

This 'pork' project is nothing more than a typo,  the contract is for almost a MILLION pounds of pork.  (ok, 800,000 or so) but still probably a good price.  (yes you probably can find sliced pork at your local store for less, but it's probably a "loss leader")

Jeez, if you want to  find pork, you're far more likely to find it in military contracting.  Military contracts have a number of advantages if you want to bilk the government.
   1:  the entire contract can be declared  top-secret   ( that'll keep those prying eyes away)
   2:  Someone can say, 'I'm the one getting shot at, and I tell you I *NEED IT*'
   3:  You're not patriotic if you don't buy this plane/boat/gun/ship/rocket/whatever
 

 
]]> 2009-07-21T04:41:18Z 2009-07-21T04:41:18Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91103 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com Yeah, just paying $1.50 a pound instead of a little over half that at the grocery store. 2009-07-20T18:45:37Z 2009-07-20T18:45:37Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91100 olga Nobody could be that stupid even in the gov't... I hope...]]> 2009-07-20T18:33:19Z 2009-07-20T18:33:19Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91095 Eric Wilner http://siliconvalleyredneck.typepad.com/ reports that it was actually 760,000 pounds of ham in 2-pound packages.  Maybe not the best deal ever on a bulk purchase, but not the lunacy the gummint's web site makes it sound like.
]]> 2009-07-20T17:18:18Z 2009-07-20T17:18:18Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91091 Robert This is a joke, right?  You have GOT to be kidding us!

Why isn't the anemic opposition screaming about this on FOX?

Is no one paying attention but the Castle?    grrrrr


]]> 2009-07-20T16:54:16Z 2009-07-20T16:54:16Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91086 Neffi Hey, it was a 'full and open' competitive sealed bid process- so they *were* the low bidder... 2009-07-20T16:38:27Z 2009-07-20T16:38:27Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91072 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
It was an omen.

Pretty handy that the hotlink to report waste, fraud, and abuse to the IG appears right next to the Agency's name, huh?
]]> 2009-07-20T14:12:37Z 2009-07-20T14:12:37Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2009://1.11046-comment:91064 fdcol63 Hey ... where's the BEEF??!! 2009-07-20T12:39:05Z 2009-07-20T12:39:05Z