Monday, February 14, 2005
Bad Bad Bad
There is a horrific story that everyone should read whose client or company has government business. It is here.
The government now admits that two missing computer disks at the Los Alamos research laboratories, run by the University of California, never existed. Yup, that's right. The witch hunt and $5.8 million fine levied against the University for poor security management was for items that were never created. University of California's reputation was dragged through the mud, and it nearly lost control of the labs. Actually, it did lose control of the labs but the government pays so little to manage them that the new manager backed out.
So, how does the government say, "I'm sorry" to an organization whose reputation it wrecked. It sends a threatening letter and fails to lift the fine.
We have worked with other government contractors who have been hauled before the government for lapses they didn't commit. The same pattern happens repeatedly. Bureaucrats rarely say they are sorry, and they rarely admit they have harmed anyone. They find flimsy excuses to support their positions even when excuses have nothing to do with the original charge.
The sanctimoniousness of government bureaucrats is disheartening. These people believe they are doing the people's business. Hence, anything they do and say must be right.
Be warned. If you work with the government, watch your flanks. Keep public affairs specialists at agencies and on the Hill. That is the only way to survive government witch hunts. Even then, it is difficult.
The government now admits that two missing computer disks at the Los Alamos research laboratories, run by the University of California, never existed. Yup, that's right. The witch hunt and $5.8 million fine levied against the University for poor security management was for items that were never created. University of California's reputation was dragged through the mud, and it nearly lost control of the labs. Actually, it did lose control of the labs but the government pays so little to manage them that the new manager backed out.
So, how does the government say, "I'm sorry" to an organization whose reputation it wrecked. It sends a threatening letter and fails to lift the fine.
We have worked with other government contractors who have been hauled before the government for lapses they didn't commit. The same pattern happens repeatedly. Bureaucrats rarely say they are sorry, and they rarely admit they have harmed anyone. They find flimsy excuses to support their positions even when excuses have nothing to do with the original charge.
The sanctimoniousness of government bureaucrats is disheartening. These people believe they are doing the people's business. Hence, anything they do and say must be right.
Be warned. If you work with the government, watch your flanks. Keep public affairs specialists at agencies and on the Hill. That is the only way to survive government witch hunts. Even then, it is difficult.
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