I think the idea behind having the government compete wasn't that it was a fair competition, it was just a way to spend the least amount of money. If the gover

I think the idea behind having the government compete wasn't that it was a fair competition, it was just a way to spend the least amount of money. If the government is able to do something internally for $500m, and the disadvantaged private sector is going to cost $750m, then let the government do it themselves. (On the government's books, this is a net win.) If the government costs it at $500m, but a private company can do it for $400m... Why let the government do it? Contract it out and save money.