This is also true I don't doubt, but I've heard directly from contractors that they look for requirement holes so they can monetize them to the maximum extent p

This is also true I don't doubt, but I've heard directly from contractors that they look for requirement holes so they can monetize them to the maximum extent possible. Having a dedicated developer team who work directly for government whose sole job it is to make and maintain software like this for the long term, still seems like the most cost-effective and durable solution.