Government Staffing Agencies
How do government agencies fill open positions? The U.S. federal government often relies on external staffing firms to fill positions in various agencies. The government procures personnel based on each agency’s needs. Once it determines those needs, the contracting officers develop a solicitation letter that qualified government staffing agencies bid on. Bids typically take the form of proposals, which are reviewed, with the winning firm receiving the contract. Each government agency has contracting officers who are required to develop and post solicitations to procure goods and services that exceed a $25,000.00 (Twenty-five Thousand Dollar) threshold.
Contracts typically run from one to five years
Government contracts usually extend for at least a year and a maximum of about five years. From a staffing firm’s perspective, that typically means that once they are awarded the work, they are typically onboard for the entire period.
Supplying staff for federal government agencies differs somewhat from commercial work.
Take the medical industry as an example. If a staffing firm wanted to do business with a commercial hospital, it would apply to become part of its vendor list. After that, the staffing firm would explore the work they had available or link up with one of their buyers. That’s not possible with the government, where the firm must register and abide by a unique set of rules and regulations under which they operate.
Price is not the only decision point
The federal government agency evaluates a firm based on its past performance, its technical capabilities, and its price. They may choose the lowest price when making a selection, but the decision is not made on price alone.
Companies must qualify, and because it involves staffing, the firm must include the resumes of personnel, which also becomes part of the qualification package. So, instead of simply looking at price, the federal government agency evaluates which staffing solution is technically capable of doing the job along with the staffing agency’s past performance.
While federal government agency contracts often last from one to five years, they aren’t considered permanent. Instead, staffing firms see them as long-term contract opportunities. Within that period, people may leave for other opportunities, so the staffing firm must recruit new personnel to fill roles vacated by those leaving. In addition to handling payroll, benefits and other HR duties for the personnel contracted to work at the department, the staffing firm also acts as a liaison with the government to advocate for their people and resolve issues.
Staffing agency brands are important
An established government staffing firm will have a reputation with different departments it has worked with in the past. For example, RieLes Group has worked with the US Department of the Air Force, the US Department of the Army, the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the US Department of State. Those connections make it easier for other government departments to assess RieLes Group’s “brand” and its capabilities in the future.
For those interested in our open contract positions within government agencies, check out our current job listings. If you’d like to learn more about how the RieLes Group can help you find the qualified staff you need, contact us.