content: In my opinion it's because of blame and expectations. The rationale, as far as I've heard, is that if I go with the 'big name' that everyone knows and the project fails I won't be blamed. In fact, going with those known companies is expected more than anything. However, you stick your neck out and pick an unknown entity and you're risking your whole career.   So the choice is, pick the known entity that can fuck everything up and drain your bank account OR risk everything on an unknown contractor that could ruin you. Also the way that government use it or lose it mentality permeates projects makes me ill.