You should have seen the map the Crusader program had...it mapped out the country according to each of 435 congressional districts and showed what was made where. Not every single one had something...but much much better than half did. I would estimate that less than 15% of districts did not have their finger in the pie somehow. And this was considered a selling point to advertise the program. And I'm not singling out Crusader...it is what the military and contractors do to try to get Congressional support.
If they are looking for how $100 toilet seats happen...that is how.
Actaully, the MILSPEC program is what makes everything expensive. Each item that MUST meet a Military Specification is manuafactured and tested to that SPEC. Drives costs WAY WAY UP. COTS is supposed to help but COTS doesn't have everything and not everything is designed to be beat to death by military personnel.