Racking up change fees is actually the business model of a bunch of government contractors. They’ll underbid a project, knowing that they’ll make a profit because of change orders. When a contract is written on a years-long project with all the requirements spelled out in those pretty-looking charts, it’s tempting to say, “Well, that covers it.” Then the contractor says, “I’m agreeing to do this and only this. If you want any changes, it will cost you.” This after-the-fact billing has become the center of so much cost that companies and agencies have set up Change Control Boards.
