Could only be done by a government, a corporation, or maybe some bored script-kiddie living in his parents' basement. I'm sure that, if I cared to learn how, and had no morals or scruples, I could figure out how to grab a botnet to launch a DDoS.

Maybe they should have gotten an expert who was actually an expert in some related field? I'm sure the expert who told them that probably IS an expert in SOMETHING -- maybe she's an expert glassblower, or juggler, or pharmacist, or something. Just not an expert in computer stuff.