XBradTC

Again, the acquisition system is stupid.

The massive recall of prisoner-made combat helmets for the Army and Marine Corps was actually three times as big as initial reports indicated, a new investigation has found. 
The Defense Department recalled 129,000 Advanced Combat Helmets and Lightweight Marine Corps Helmets in 2010 due to a number of defects and fears soldier and Marines’ lives were at risk. Initial reports put that number at only about 40,000-plus.
The  U.S.Department of Justice Inspector General conducted two joint investigations into the controversy and a new report issued Wednesday details a number of disturbing findings: 

So, for two different contracts, one from the Department of the Army, and another, by the Defense Logistics Agency, on behalf of the Marine Corps, the government solicited bids to make combat helmets for our troops.

ArmorSource, LLC successfully bid for the contracts.

But rather than making the helmets, ArmorSource turns around and subcontracts the production to UNICOR, also known as  Federal Prison Industries.

Who owns FPI? The US government.

FPI did spectacularly poor work, and failed to provide the prisoners proper tooling and processes to manufacture the helmets. And FPI jiggered the paperwork to try to conceal just how shoddy their work was.

But ArmorSource gets hammered with the civil settlement.  Which, don’t get me wrong, that’s fair. They have an obligation to ensure the quality of subcontracted work.

But notice that there will be no accountability at FPI. No management at FPI will face criminal charges, and I’d be stunned if anyone was fired.