Contractors in the Government Workplace

Managing the Blended Workforce

As the government increasingly uses commercial augmentation to perform many of its most basic functions, it is critically important that all employees understand the rules, expectations and boundaries that define the government-contractor relationship. The enormous shortfall of experienced acquisition personnel has left much of the burden of oversight and accountability to employees who are not trained in contracting regulations and procedures. Now, more than ever, all government employees and supervisors must possess a basic understanding of contract administration best practices and familiarity with rules and regulations governing the conduct of contractors in the workplace. This handbook introduces the fundamentals of managing government-contractor relations in a blended workforce.

In Contractors in the Government Workplace: Managing the Blended Workforce, author Glenn Voelz offers best practices and tips for employees and junior supervisors tasked with managing hybrid government-contractor teams. Focusing primarily on service-based contracting, the most rapidly expanding element of government acquisitions over the past decade, he provides an understanding of the tools, techniques, rules, and regulations relating to supervision of contractors in the workplace. He also discusses legal, ethical, and security tips to help avoid common mistakes and violations of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) guidelines. Voelz explains in a straightforward way all aspects of government contracting that acquisition personnel need to know, including the basics of service-based contracting, the government-contractor relationship, acquisition team responsibilities, administration procedures, contract language, common mistakes government managers may make, methods of evaluation, Performance-Based Service Acquisitions, and ethical and legal concerns. An extensive bibliography supplements the text along with several appendices which include a glossary of key acquisition terms, a checklist for reviewing and analyzing contracts, tips for writing Performance Statements and Statements of Work, and guidelines for contingency contracting and contracting in forward locations or austere environments.