DOD CAN SAVE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS WITHOUT CUTTING ANY PROGRAMS

Why does it take so long for the USG to correct institutional defects in its workmanship?

The mentality is to repair the defect with its own people, versus using a better mouse trap and new people from the private sector to solve the problem.

Keeping the same people in the same place and calling that essential experience is akin to a politician citing experience as the reason to re-elect him/her, with all due respect.

 Allowing Competition Will Save The USG Billions Monthly, Will Allow For The Best Products To Be Used And At The Best Price

 This way, the USG does not have to cut any programs. The programs will go away by themselves when there is no demand or use for their product or service since its being filled by the private sector

 Below, are five examples and hundreds of products that the USG spends tens of billions to manage; where the private sector could do it better, faster and cheaper.

1.   It took years for the army to understand that soldiers were “safer” wearing the new camouflage pattern that blends into a wider variety of backgrounds, versus the old style that obviously did not.

2.  The M16/ M4 have been upgraded over sixty (60) times and are going to be replaced. Competition would have produced a better weapon sooner, versus abandoning a failed 40 year old weapons program and its billions of wasted dollars and jammed weapons remain.

3.  The 3-in-1 weapons lubricant called CLP has been upgraded and the specification has been changed and altered countless times and the Milspec’d flashpoint remains at a dangerous 149 degree F. Competition would have forced the flashpoint to go higher along with added lubricity for the gunmetal to prevent weapons from jamming, especially in desert environments. During 2005, the army created (because of congress) a CLP Type 2 gun oil for extreme desert environments with added lubricity to address the gun jamming issue. MG Nadeau said the Type 2 specification was cancelled because the original manufacturer would not make it (the formula) exactly like the army wanted it. Also, it was to be interchangeable with CLP Type 1. Unbelievable! Forty years of the family of M16’s jamming and the army finally address’s the jamming issue (because of congress) only to reinforce their existing specification by a duplication (of application) of that same specification to insure interchangeability without altering the formula to much (a little ep only) and its specification from its 1979 origin.

4.  The backpacks are now being down-sized due to common sense. This common sense was finally realized after countless injuries from carrying too much weight. Competition would have allowed for small, medium and larger sizes to be available, based on assignment and some much needed common sense that competition creates.

5.   Boots, under garments and the like are also being upgraded due to the assignments and where the one-shoe does not fit all anymore, as it did in the 1940’s and is what unfortunately our antiquated acquisition system process is based on. The Defense Logistics Bureaucracy could be downsized 90% by allowing competition which addresses the specific needs of the individual warfighter, squad size elements and platoon size orders. More and smaller units are being deployed that require swift and accurate responses from online suppliers for their needs. The warfighter would be responsible for ordering all gear online prior to departure and within budget.

 Entrenched bureaucrats maintain the grip on the status quo by constantly substantiating their benefit to the warfighter by visits and goodies, when in fact; it’s all about the high paying government job with its countless benefits that requires a status quo position to insure nothing changes. Competition will create change is why some civil service personnel do not like me, because if the warfighter  buys my product and not the government managed CLP, the folks managing that product and its infrastructure are no longer needed and cannot justify why they are needed if no one needs them for anything.

 Approximately, 2007, I saw Joel Goldman and others at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey flying first class from NJ to DC. I was returning from Japan and was shocked to see the first class cabin packed with Picatinny Arsenal Employees flying on the taxpayer’s nickel for a job the private sector should be doing in the first place.  The amount of waste at Picatinny is enormous. The problem is who will take on the billions of T & E that the private sector could do for a fraction of that amount and would create technology that is needed now.

Competition would alter the complexion of Picatinny Arsenal as it has been known for decades. The real estate value from that base would be enormous. The USG should sell off the base land to business folk and allow the free market that is hungry for jobs to sell needed gear to all of USG Activities.

 The status quo prevents change coming though commercial venues based on competition. The USG can save billions monthly by allowing free and open competition for all commercial-off-the-shelf technology (COTS), including weapons (and accessories) soldiers typically carry in combat.

No more hundred million dollar contracts will be issued to a “SELECT FEW” since the unrestricted warfighter demand would drive the technology and the market share over time. The USG would no longer accept bids for small arms and the related components. The USG would no longer warehouse acres of products that the private sector can absorb. Also, the manufacturer would be responsible for cradle to grave aspects of the products to its customers which insure viability for time.

 After the COTS products are received by the warfighter and the manufacturer has been notified (hard copy) that the goods were in fact received in working condition, the manufacturer would then submit invoices to the USG proving the products where accepted. Now, the USG would pay the invoice.  

             Competition is what made America Great

Competition allows for the evaporation of unneeded government workers to lose their jobs because of private sector innovation.  The net gain is, more manufacturing, distribution, warehousing jobs would be created and the savings from competition would be great. The USG must act now to save money by implementing the 1994 Law that allows for COTS.

 Entrenched bureaucrats will argue that the USG is better at inventing, warehousing and shipping products than the private sector. The USG spends Big Bucks to manage products that the private sector could manage at a fraction of the price.

To prove my point just examine the track record of the products I have cited here that have already cost billions in unnecessary spending  and also NASA who is now relying on the Russians to get us to the Space Station.