19 firefighters killed because of faulty radio equipment

When do we stop doing the cheapest we can possibly contract for - and recognize that quality and maintenance matter?

How many more people have to be killed?  (P.G.& E. Bay Bridge etc.) The latest was the unnecessary deaths of the 19 firefighters in the Arizona wildfire.

When I consult to government agencies, I am often at odds with the management in contracts and procurement who go for "low bid."   the standards used to determine who gets the contract are often relatively unrelated to the quality and reputation of the organizations bidding.  Instead, their status as minority or woman owned (and yes, as a woman owned business, I've taken advantage of that perq) business adds points to the analysis.  So, low bid, plus points having nothing to do with competence or quality - raises the numbers significantly.

When are we going to learn that quality matters?  When are we going to learn the importance of maintenance of equipment, infrastructure, etc.?  When - how many people have to die before we stop cutting corners?