Procurement creates the greatest value before delivery becomes urgent. Once the program is late, operationally disruptive, and integrator-dependent, most contractual provisions become reactive channels for documenting problems rather than preventing them.

Ultimately, one of the most important procurement questions is not “Which supplier is cheapest?” but rather “What does the supplier know that we do not?”

This article aims to help readers better understand the consultants they’re hiring—or already dealing with.