This is exactly how a lot of business is done around the world. Wake up. If you're a smaller outfit and need to get in, grease gets it done. Larger corps have deeper pockets so it becomes an unspoken bidding war off the books. Industrial/maritime/infrastructure - it's called a 'benefit' and it's literally a kickback or bribe. It happens all day every day in the real world. Now you know. You can let go of your pearls now.