So the VP's job is to be disingenuous to everyone except the consultants? He's already made up his mind about what to do, knows he can't get buy-in from employ

So the VP's job is to be disingenuous to everyone except the consultants? He's already made up his mind about what to do, knows he can't get buy-in from employees, so he hires an external firm to generate the data he has already decided is correct. I feel like all the comments talking about a breakdown of trust seem even more poignant now after reading your comment.