Government Private Contractors Now Outnumber Government Employees

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In summary, there is a growing concern about the increasing use of government contractors and their lack of accountability. The hiring process for these contractors also needs to be reevaluated. The General Services Administration has been hiring more and more contractors to deal with issues such as fraud and incompetence, and even the National Security Agency outsources heavily. A recent study has found that this trend could threaten the government's ability to perform its mission and undermine decision making. Additionally, there are concerns about the cost-effectiveness of using contractors and the potential for abuse of power. The hiring of contractors to audit other contractors has raised further questions about the efficiency and transparency of the system.
  • #1
edward
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It is time to crack down on the number of government contractors. Many that we have currently are of questionable honesty. They, as the llink suggests, have become a fourth branch of government. CACI International, the one the GSA just hired to investigate other contractors was recently under investigation.

Outsourcing the work of government agencies is nothing new, but it has doubled since 2000. It is also time to take a closer look at the contractor selection process.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 — In June, short of people to process cases of incompetence and fraud by federal contractors, officials at the General Services Administration responded with what has become the government’s reflexive answer to almost every problem. They hired another contractor.

Even the National Security Agency outsources heavily.

The contracting surge has raised bipartisan alarms. A just-completed study by experts appointed by the White House and Congress, the Acquisition Advisory Panel, found that the trend “poses a threat to the government’s long-term ability to perform its mission” and could “undermine the integrity of the government’s decision making.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/w...em&ex=1170738000&en=3be996e56a43b0a1&ei=5087
 
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  • #2
I don't get it - if the government were to directly do everything governments do, we'd be communist. Should we nationalize Boeing?

The problem isn't contractors (directly - they do, of course all need leashes), it is stupid government policies for how to hire them. Governments waste money on everything they do and this is just another example of the same problem. Should we nationalize Lockheed because the F22 is too expensive? No, we should fix the laws governing procurement so that it doesn't cost so much to develop. The F117 was an incredibly economical project ($40m apiece, on a short production run), largely because it was developed outside normal government procurement rules.
 
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  • #3
It appears that CACI international, the company awarded the GSA contact, has been doing lots of nasty little jobs for the government. They were one of the private contractors who providded civilian interrogators at Abu Garaib.:mad:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1391443,00.html
 
  • #4
russ_watters said:
I don't get it - if the government were to directly do everything governments do, we'd be communist. Should we nationalize Boeing?

The problem isn't contractors (directly - they do, of course all need leashes), it is stupid government policies for how to hire them. Governments waste money on everything they do and this is just another example of the same problem. Should we nationalize Lockheed because the F22 is too expensive? No, we should fix the laws governing procurement so that it doesn't cost so much to develop. The F117 was an incredibly economical project ($40m apiece, on a short production run), largely because it was developed outside normal government procurement rules.

I agree with that Russ. But it is not just the big military contractors, the whole privitization scenario has left the companies who work for governent agencies with too much power. Like the article says, they have become a fourth branch of government.

The G.S.A., like other agencies, said it did not track the number or total cost of its contract workers. The agency administrator, Lurita Doan, who previously ran a Virginia contracting firm, has actively pushed contracting. Ms. Doan recently clashed with her agency’s inspector general over her proposal to remove the job of auditing contractors’ proposed prices from his office and to hire contractors to do it instead.

We are hiring contractors to audit contractors, what's next?, Hire contractors to audit the auditors.
 
  • #5
It's a catch-22: if the government were efficient enough to be able to manage their subcontractors properly, it'd be efficient enough that it wouldn't need so many anyway. Boeing is a manufacturing company and you are, of course, mostly talking about service companies. The government is big enough that it should be able to realize a benefit to in-house service companies for things like securty and food service. But the reason it can't is the same reason it can't manage the subs either.
 
  • #6
I wonder at the real costs
like in iraq a guard or truck driver
can be paid 100k a year if a usa citizen
but what does the CORP bill our goverment
for the persons service 250k ??
 
  • #7
Im not so sure that you understand this russ. Companies like black water and many others have been contracted out by the government to do many of the jobs in Iraq that our troops previously did. They pull security, are basically singlehandedly in charge of supplies and even have built many r&r camps. This is a huge problem because contractors arent subject to the same standards as the military. This means that if they break a country's law they are simply fired, no real punishment. They can also just up and leave at any time. This leaves a real uncertainty on the battlefield because what happens if it gets too hot and your supply contractor says see you later. There has also been at least one major incident with the security teams. They don't need authorization to travel throughout the country, and back in 2003 5 security agents drove the fallujah and were slaughtered. This directly caused the marines to change their plan for attacking fallujah. Actually watch this its where I am getting most of this, its very interesting.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/
 
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  • #8
trajan22 said:
Im not so sure that you understand this russ. Companies like black water and many others have been contracted out by the government to do many of the jobs in Iraq that our troops previously did. They pull security, are basically singlehandedly in charge of supplies and even have built many r&r camps. This is a huge problem because contractors arent subject to the same standards as the military. This means that if they break a country's law they are simply fired, no real punishment. They can also just up and leave at any time. This leaves a real uncertainty on the battlefield because what happens if it gets too hot and your supply contractor says see you later. There has also been at least one major incident with the security teams. They don't need authorization to travel throughout the country, and back in 2003 5 security agents drove the fallujah and were slaughtered. This directly caused the marines to change their plan for attacking fallujah. Actually watch this its where I am getting most of this, its very interesting.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/
That is a problem, but it isn't the problem the OP was discussing. The article makes a passing reference to it, but the main point is the money.
 
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  • #9
The past is the past yet it certainly needs to be investigated. The problem is The GSA has given a contract to a company which exhibited questionable behavior in Iraq to do the investigating.

In addition the investigations go far beyond Iraq and Katrina.

Non profit organizations who work in the interest of the people have done an admirable job exposing corruption in numerous situations. The news media has also contributed to this area. They usually do so by using the Freedom of Information act to obtain government information and data. They can not do this with private companies.

Private companies are exempt from the FOIA. With the vast amount of outsourced government contracts, even in the area of national security, this leaves us plunging deeper and deeper into a secret government.

Again as the article stated, private contractors have become a fourth branch of government and are quite apparently not held accountable to anyone except perhaps another private company.
 
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1. How did the number of government private contractors surpass the number of government employees?

The number of government private contractors has been steadily increasing over the past few decades due to various factors such as budget constraints, outsourcing of services, and the need for specialized skills. In addition, the government has shifted towards using more contract workers to fulfill specific tasks instead of hiring full-time employees.

2. What are the advantages of using government private contractors over government employees?

One of the main advantages of using government private contractors is cost savings. Contract workers are typically paid less than government employees and do not receive benefits such as healthcare and retirement plans, resulting in lower overall costs for the government. Additionally, government private contractors can provide specialized skills and expertise that may not be available within the government workforce.

3. Are government private contractors held to the same standards and regulations as government employees?

Yes, government private contractors are held to the same standards and regulations as government employees. They are required to adhere to all laws and regulations set by the government, and their work is subject to the same oversight and accountability measures as government employees.

4. How does the use of government private contractors impact job stability for government employees?

The use of government private contractors can potentially impact job stability for government employees. As more tasks and services are outsourced to private contractors, there may be a decrease in the number of available government positions. However, government employees also have the opportunity to transition into contract positions, providing them with job opportunities in the private sector.

5. Are there any potential drawbacks to relying heavily on government private contractors?

There are some potential drawbacks to relying heavily on government private contractors. One concern is the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer funds, as contract workers may not be subject to the same financial reporting requirements as government employees. Another concern is the potential for conflicts of interest, as contractors may prioritize their own profits over the best interests of the government and its citizens.

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