The U.S. Government* isn't allowed to say "we want to spend this much money for this thing" they can only say "we want this thing" and then take the "best" offer they get, a fact known by all the companies bidding, and by all the companies I mean the one company that has jumped through all the legal hoops necessary to allow them to bid.

*I know UC is British and while I suspect they have similar constraints I won't swear to it.