$5.7B Cyclone maritime helicopters lack key safety requirement

God, this project is screwed up, thanks for nothing Chretien!

Chretien, Martin, and Harper all bear varying degrees of responsibility for this mess.

WTF is it that governments can't seem to procure what they need at a fixed, previously agreed upon cost. I know it's complex, but surely they could come up with a list of critical requirements, tender that list out to companies, sign an deal with a company that says they can meet those requirements, and if the company can't then come up with a product that meets those requirements, they don't get dime one. Like making a deal on a car - you agree on a price for a specific model with options list, if the dealer can't come up with that car, you don't pay. Not just Canada, but we've certainly heard horror stories about the US as well.

From what I've read, the govt department will come up with some minimal specs that meet some low ball price range the govt has set, but then, once the deal is signed, change the specs they want. This opens the contract up to renegotiation, and since the govt is now only dealing with one supplier, the supplier has the upper hand. Doesn't make sense to me why they would continually do this.

While I'm no Liberal supporter I don't see how Chretien and Martin could share blame for this, but then again I read the articles.

They insisted that the 'dry gear' run be 30 minutes and the Harper govt has accepted them without meeting this widow maker standard.




November 2004

The Liberal government says it will award a $5-billion purchase and 20-year in-service support contract to Sikorsky for 28 CH-148 Cyclone helicopters, as Sea King replacements, with deliveries scheduled to start in November 2008.


December 2008

The Conservative government negotiates first contract extension for delivery of Cyclones, costing taxpayers an additional $117 million.


May 2010

Sikorsky announces an engine upgrade for the Cyclone, pushing deliveries back to 2012; later complications further extend that date to 2015.


October 2010

The federal auditor general harshly criticizes the Cyclone helicopter project, noting delays and projected cost overruns totalling $700 million.


November 2010

Sikorsky faces fines for late delivery totalling $88 million, but government is unclear about how it will collect the fines.


July 2013

Public Works orders an independent analysis into whether Sikorsky can fulfill its contract.


September 2013

Spokeswoman for Public Works Minister Diane Finley confirms Canadian government is considering "other options" for the Sea King replacement. Senior officials soon meet with rival aircraft makers.


January 2014

The Conservative government announces it is sticking with the Cyclone and renegotiates delivery schedule for a third time. The Sea King fleet is to begin retiring in 2015.


more

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot ... -1.2491268

Yes because Chretien canceling the program in '93 and Martin selecting the wrong bird in '04 have absolutely nothing to do with the predicament we're in now.