I agree with you on the timing issue. I read the transcripts and I disagree that the national security exception should be used when it's a timing issue. I mean if there's a national security interest in the timing issue, fine, but some of the examples that were provided were events that were happening where the process could have been planned out in advance and timing didn't seem like a legitimate basis, other than if you accept that by invoking the national security exception they wanted to take away bidder recourse so that it would speed up the process and not allow bidders to challenge.
On May 2nd, 2017. See this statement in context.