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Washington Pulse
Government Contractors: Can Trust Be Restored?
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By Sandra I. Erwin
The defense industry has regarded itself as a “trusted partner” of the Pentagon, but in recent years the relationship has been strained as multibillion-dollar programs ran over budget and behind schedule. The tipping point came a year ago with the release of a GAO report that documented nearly $300 billion in cost overruns in top defense programs. Complicating the situation for the industry is the Obama administration’s anti-lobbyist push, which has made it far more difficult for the industry to reach out and try to mend fences.
“There is pent-up frustration in Congress and the Defense Department that industry has not delivered their share of the bargain,” says one industry executive. The industry will need to show that it wants to help, he says. “Digging our heels will not work.”
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