> Honestly I'm not sure what a good solution would look like, but I don't think it's as simple as "trust us."
I agree -- this is not a simple challenge. But I don't think stultifying bureaucracy is the answer, either. There must be some government out there, somewhere in the world, that has sorted out an efficient, effective procurement process.
> But I don't think stultifying bureaucracy is the answer, either.
Something that seems hard for people to grasp is that "stultifying bureaucracy" wasn't an "answer". It's the natural consequence of not having an answer. We have the luxury of sitting back on an Internet forum pontificating on the drudgery; they have to enact the laws that Congress passed.
> There must be some government out there, somewhere in the world, that has sorted out an efficient, effective procurement process.
The main examples of the same scale and scope as the US are Brazil, China, Russia, and India. All of these have been regularly painted as worse: more corrupt, more stonewalling, more favoritism. Whether that's just American propaganda or if there are specific processes that can be imported without breaking things is worth examining.
I don't know enough about the process to comment, but judging by the results it must be pretty good. They have a good track record of finishing government projects on schedule and budget.
I agree -- this is not a simple challenge. But I don't think stultifying bureaucracy is the answer, either. There must be some government out there, somewhere in the world, that has sorted out an efficient, effective procurement process.