Rather than seeking the best or even the least expensive of the best, they should now try to seek the "neediest"?
any reason that only those well off should be able to perform federal contracts?
we are a capitalist society and that cannot continue to remain so without adequate competition, otherwise we get situations like haliburton during the iraq war. it received a massive SOLE SOURCE contract, without having to bid/price it, because it was determined there was no other firm existing with the capacity to do what haliburton was contracted to do
haliburton was enriched massively because its prices for goods and services were not in competition with any other vendor
so, having alternatives is good for our nation and for our taxpayers
additionally, in the sole source small business setasides, the contractor MUST be able to demonstrate that it can perform the procurement. there are no shortcuts allowed. additionally, unlike the haliburton experience, the government has a cost estimate which is used to determine the reasonableness of the small business' priced offer. if the small business cannot price the contract to conform to the government's cost estimate, then the contract cannot be awarded to that small business
so, the result is that the government gets its work fulfilled at a reasonable price, while allowing a small business to grow its business within the federal sector, thereby expanding competition for subsequent federal contracts. can't see a negative about that outcome - unless i am a large business expecting the government to pay whatever amount i invoice
Trying to ensure equality of outcome by artificially skewing equality of opportunity is always wrong.
when small businesses are locked out of federal procurements, the system has become skewed; as opportunity is withheld from small businesses for the enrichment of large businesses
If the U.S. gov't had an NBA team then they would likely lose every game; using "proportional" representation they would have only one black male on the court.
two points. the first, you missed my advocacy that we eliminate any ethnicity criterion to be able to participate in affirmative action programs. there should be no requirement for any race of person on that team
second point. the government, its military, has a very long history of producing very competitive athletes and sport teams, which fact pins your rebuttal argument