Unfortunately, since the colorant package that goes into making MCT is proprietary to avoid the issues with traditional tan colorants, we've been plagued with some supply chain issues. There is a global shortage of some of the precursor chemicals that go into it, and so our supply of MCT colorant is still a source of constant pain for us. Coupled with a requirement to continue meeting military and international demand, that has slowed availability of non-programmatic magazines, as well as preventing our intent to move MCT across the entire magazine line and furniture. Things are looking better, though, and finally getting back to normal, so expect to see availability improve.
The "Last Place" characterization was not ours, but that of the USMC. Each of the USGI entrants performed well will one ammunition type, the PMAG performed flawlessly with everything. The Lancer had failures with both ammunition types, and the failures that are not normally charged to the magazine, although compiled in the chart can be removed and still have a similar result. The most common failure with Vendor B was a bolt over base failure, which, all other things being equal in an acceptably gassed rifle with proper bolt carrier speed, is a magazine issue. This was also the failure that was exhibited in the M855A1 Commercial Magazine conformance test, data which also figured into this equation, where once again, the PMAG was flawless. High speed video pretty easily shows any presentation instability and issues that contribute to the numbers, so there's a qualitative component to the results, also. Finally, this data also doesn't account for feed ramp and chamber face deformation with A1, which is indeed covered in the M855A1 Commercial Magazine Conformance Test, and in which, Vendor B exhibited significant damage at the higher round count of that test, while the PMAG showed virtually none. To my understanding, this pattern was showing itself again in the USMC test, but the round counts were significantly lower, and thus the damage did not become as much of a factor.
If there were any biases going into the test at Aberdeen, I can assure you they were probably AGAINST the PMAG based on the thorn that we've been in the side of the institution for a decade and a half.
On NGSW, the program will now go into a phase of post-award EC to make sure that the system fielded will be as reliable as possible. The US Govt, and the folks in charge of that program certainly do not want to field a program that isn't performing as well as it could. You will likely see some changes in the overall system prior to fielding.