The major driver of procurement bureaucracy is exactly this sort of blatant, somewhat cynical, distrust in government. Every requirement is designed to protect

The major driver of procurement bureaucracy is exactly this sort of blatant, somewhat cynical, distrust in government. Every requirement is designed to protect against arbitrary decision making, especially corruption but also just general "I like the vendor/product". Corruption is self-explanatory, so let's focus on the second: Instead of buying a Toyota because you liked the last one you drove, or because they offer a fancy color you like, you have to create a 500-item checklist of features you want in a car, and a scheme to evaluate and weigh all possible options. If you forget a single important criterion, say "available in colors other than pink", the police department will now be driving in pink cars.