Helicopters need drip pans to catch transmission fluid before it leaks into the cockpit. Phoenix Products claims to make the best drip pans. They were the only company deemed "approved and certified" by the Pentagon. Thus, there were no competitive bids. They have been selling them to the government for use with the Blackhawk helicopter for the past three years for $17,000 each, a discount from the regular price of $19,000.
At the same time VX Aerospace has been selling the Pentagon drip pans for the UH-46 helicopters. Their price? $2,500. Are these helicopters so different that two drip pans are needed? Is this a very complex part requiring extra special precision machining?
Or is it the case that Phoenix has an in with the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee? In 2009 Mr. Rogers, the Chairman, put an earmark in the budget so that Phoenix could sell its drip pans. Are their drip pans really that good that we should be paying 8 times the price of those made by VX Aerospace?
1 comment:
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