This is true of firms getting government contracts in general, especially true of federal contracts, and, from everything I've heard (especially from people who've worked on defense contracting from either side) epically true of defense contracting.

Working the contracting system is a completely different competency than doing the work that is contracted for, and the people that get contracts are the ones specialized in getting contracts.

They probably have some competence in the actual work, but they often aren't competing with the best in the field for the work, because the best in the field for the work often have no or less competence in the relevant area ofmgovernment contracting.