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when dealing with the RFP/RFQ [Request for Proposal/Request for Quote] system.” (Survey ID: 188) This category is highlighted because it represents another set of contractors experiencing specific unfavorable DoD characteristics. In conclusion, three categories stand out as representing a negative “mark” on DoD: contractors that (a) stopped bidding outright due to an unfavorable DoD characteristic, (b) are still bidding for work but have identified a negative characteristic of working with DoD, and (c) became only a subcontractor (the majority, although not all, of the follow-on explanations for this shift were overtly disapproving of DoD). When all three categories are combined to get a sense of the magnitude of DoD’s responsibility for contractor departure, the results are sobering. The proportion of contractors exiting (or otherwise adjusting their contracting intentions) for negative reasons attributable to DoD is approximately one- third ( n = 238) of the overall responses (Table 9).
TABLE 9. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE EXITS DUE TO UNFAVORABLE DOD CHARACTERISTIC Response Number
Percent
The entity stopped bidding for work with DoD due to an unfavorable characteristic of working with DoD. The entity has become only a subcontractor to DoD prime contractors. The entity is still bidding for work but has identified an issue working with DoD. *
165
24%
59
9%
14
2%
Total 35% Note. * denotes categories created by researchers during post-hoc analysis (not included in the original survey as an answer choice). 238 Unfavorable Characteristics of DoD The unfavorable characteristics of working with DoD identified by contractors are undoubtedly of key interest to DoD policy makers. Contractors that noted an unfavorable DoD characteristic as the primary reason they no longer held a prime contract were given an additional question: “Why did the entity stop bidding for work with DoD?” This question contained an “Other” answer choice like the main survey question, so the authors adhered to the same two-step coding process
213
Defense ARJ, Summer 2025, Vol. 32 No. 2: 194—223
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