Why gov is always worse than private efforts

I love the article at NYTimes "On Gulf Coast, Cleanup Differs Town to Town" where, in Mississippi, gov run cleanup is about 39% done while privately contracted cleanup is 57% done (in Louisiana, it was 45% gov vs 70% private). Private cos are charging $7.80 cubic yard while Army Corp is charging $17 to 19 for the same work. Our tax dollars "at work." Sigh.