Let’s not forget that the government writes multi-inch thick MILSPEC documents to test everything from hearing protectors, coffee pots, toilet seats, hammers, etc. Companies that contract services to the government, specifically the military, are required to meet the requirements of these docs in order to win and retain the contract. And there are many companies that will constantly be trying to take the contract away from you. They will instantly point out any failures to meet the requirements of the contract…
How can you blame a company that charges $300.00 for a hammer when it costs them close to that amount just to deliver it to the client according to their contract? The only way a company can comply with these conditions is to subcontract or hire engineers to first come up with a testing methodology that complies with the requirements, and then they have to perform the tests to certify its compliance. Engineers are expensive, and rightly so.
Who, in their right mind, would bid for a gvmt contract for hammers quoting $300.00 per copy unless they had no other choice? The only way the hammer can be produced under the requirements set forth in the specs is at great expense to the manufacturer.
Drop tests on the hammer to ensure it will not be significantly damaged, minimum strength requirements for the handle of the hammer. Crash tests for coffee pots and toilet seats to ensure the retaining mechanisms won’t fail under high-g loads. Minimum tensile strength and flexing requirements for the metal head bands used in hearing protectors…
The list goes on and on.
And let’s not even mention the testing requirements for getting a cert for use in space…
I am not saying that abuses don’t occur, for they most certainly do, but the blame lies mainly in the overly, shall we say, ambitious way that the gvmt defines its requirements for items that do not need such rigorous attention to detail. After all, a hammer is a hammer. A thing to hit other things – no rocket science there…
Ken
