Mike Twardoski

Quote

It is quite clear, however, that this competitive environment for program approval does not encourage realistic estimates of cost and schedule.  So, all too often, when a program finally receives budget approval, it embodies not only overstated requirements but also understated costs.   

A long-standing Government customer of ours recently shared a draft SOW (we're in a sole-source environment) for a forthcoming large and lengthy production contract, and I could not help but think of that SOW as I read these sentences. Some things never change. 

Thank you for sharing this story, Bob! 

Great post, Bob! After reading your Lockheed/Thoikol posts, I went back and re-read some of your earlier posts, including this one. It's amazing how powerful groupthink is in a workplace setting. I myself have caved to it more times than I care to admit, especially earlier in my career. This is a great reminder of the old adage - stand for something, or fall for anything. 

Bob, it would not be hyperbole to say I'd be lost without this board. I started in the GovCon field weeks before the world shut down in March 2020, and scrambled to find resources to help me learn the trade. This site was - and still is - my go-to for advice on thorny issues. So THANK YOU and all the other contributors who make this site so valuable. Additionally, I will take your call to action and do more to contribute to keep discussions going. 

Really enjoyed this pod. I'm semi-new to to the GovCon world, so I didn't get the opportunity to "learn via osmosis" (i.e. learning by overhearing office discussions, informal shop talk, etc.) in the virtual environment many of us were thrust into after COVID hit. I've scoured for online resources in effort to replicate some of those discussions, and am happy I found this pod. 

Already looking forward to future episodes!