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Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

reuters.com

41–50 of 684 posts

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#41
post #21

Kinda amusing that the general sentiment so far, in a forum filled with technology expertise, is that there is certainly waste in these budgets. But, when discussing the overall trend of cutting programs in other fields where the majority doesn't have that expertise, the conclusion is the opposite.

Having observed and been part of contracts involving these companies, it would take a lot to convince me that at least 80% of them don’t cost an order of magnitude (or more) more than they should.

It’s not usually the type of work, it’s the specific commercial model and mode of engagement with them that’s generally at fault, often aided and abetted by procurement processes.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#42
post #6

On the face of it cutting huge IT govt contracts sounds like a good choice to reduce waste, but with this administration I'm expecting any savings to be funneled to Grok/xAI/Elon.

So you are comparing existing, actual waste with your "imaginary" waste that might or might not happen... Go easy on the kool aid.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#44
post #21

Kinda amusing that the general sentiment so far, in a forum filled with technology expertise, is that there is certainly waste in these budgets. But, when discussing the overall trend of cutting programs in other fields where the majority doesn't have that expertise, the conclusion is the opposite.

Because we shouldn't be cutting research, healthcare and social security if we want to have a future as a society.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#45
post #13
post #8

All fine and dandy until one realizes that the pentagon's budget is measured in the trillions, and this sort of deal probably doesn't even deal with mission critical stuff. That said, we do waste a ton of money on consultants, and the pentagon needs to trim its budget. Should also be noted that Pete Hegseth is a fucking moron, and some of these cuts probably hurt our national security readiness.

The '24 budget was $842 billion.

Department of Veteran's affairs budget was $328.1 billion and should probably be counted along with DoD since it's commitments made for former DoD recruits.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#46
post #42
post #6

On the face of it cutting huge IT govt contracts sounds like a good choice to reduce waste, but with this administration I'm expecting any savings to be funneled to Grok/xAI/Elon.

So you are comparing existing, actual waste with your "imaginary" waste that might or might not happen... Go easy on the kool aid.

I'm no fan of the Pentagon and certainly think it's a money sieve, but why are you asserting that this $5.1B is "actual waste" and also not imaginary?

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#47
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

0.61% with just a few contracts

It might be a small percentage of the pentagon’s budget. But it’s still $5.1bn of taxpayer money being reigned in here. It’s $13 per person in the country. You could do an awful lot of good with that kind of money - from space programs to science funding.

The article doesn't say the length of the contract or really anything about what it was for.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#48
post #21

Kinda amusing that the general sentiment so far, in a forum filled with technology expertise, is that there is certainly waste in these budgets. But, when discussing the overall trend of cutting programs in other fields where the majority doesn't have that expertise, the conclusion is the opposite.

Public health research is good. Bombing civilians in the third world is bad. Do you get it now?

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#49
post #42
post #6

On the face of it cutting huge IT govt contracts sounds like a good choice to reduce waste, but with this administration I'm expecting any savings to be funneled to Grok/xAI/Elon.

So you are comparing existing, actual waste with your "imaginary" waste that might or might not happen... Go easy on the kool aid.

>existing, actual waste

Where are you getting that this is "actual" waste, because you read some mean things about consultants? Go easy on the kool aid.

Re: Pentagon to terminate $5.1B in IT contracts with Accenture, Deloitte

#50
post #29
post #6

On the face of it cutting huge IT govt contracts sounds like a good choice to reduce waste, but with this administration I'm expecting any savings to be funneled to Grok/xAI/Elon.

Which isn't ideal, but easily better than the pentagon that has literally never passed a full audit since they started auditing them in 2018. I'm a huge fan of musk's company's, but I don't want my public tax dollars ever choosing winners/losers

Your public tax dollars picked Tesla and SpaceX as winners vs losers, through billions of dollars of subsidies.
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