In fact, I was going to comment that I have two big concerns about the announcement.
The first is that simply making statements that it's $19 billion is inadequate. It's important for the committee to know: Is this the acquisition cost? Is this the long-term support cost, the long-term maintenance cost? We have seen over and over again cost estimates that are unbelievably low, which misleads both parliamentary committees and the public.
The second is that I was quite shocked, frankly, to hear that negotiations will be taking seven-plus months. Typically, when you run a competition, all the terms and conditions are specified in that proposal, and to respond you have to have met all of the conditions. Seven months is an awfully long time, and I am concerned when I hear that kind of information.
Interestingly enough, when we purchased the Cormorants, it took three-plus months. When we bought the maritime helicopter, it took about four months. That, in my experience, is typical of the amount of time it takes.
There shouldn't be a lot of nuance, not if they responded favourably and appropriately to all the terms and conditions.