Alex Clarke's conference and study contacts with Damen engineers inform his favourable assessment of their technical ability. His criticism concerns how they value improvements against additional cost. A hypothetical 20 percent cost increase for a 15 percent performance improvement can look attractive to an engineer. A government must also justify that purchase to politicians and treasury officials. This proposed explanation for expensive designs remains a personal theory about procurement.
Notable Point · 8:17-9:12
Engineering improvements and governments' willingness to pay
A personal assessment of Damen engineers explains the tension between technical improvements and governments' willingness to pay for them.