[briandrupieski]

Thank you for posting this. As a Maryland resident I found this really enlightening. I wasn't aware of this and I'm pretty curious now what's going on. It makes me wonder how or if I can help, as an ordinary citizen.

I read through those procurement requests. The reasons they cite in the remarks are interesting.

Sept 2021, Splunk:

> The staff providing the Splunk support services resigned as of March 31, 2021, and the contractor has been unable to replace them. The Department requested these support services through another contract vehicle, but that contractor was unable to source qualified and competent candidates in the appropriate labor categories and with the rates provided in the contract.

Dec 2021, Palo Alto Firewalls:

> Although the Department has two contract vehicles available to staff this need, neither contractor has been successful in staffing the role. One contractor who once provided the services lost three of their four resources in the past 12 months. The other contractor has been unable to source a candidate with the requisite skills and experience in the appropriate labor categories and rates provided in the contract.

So people are quitting, and they can't find replacements. Wow, that makes me think we're seeing effects from the "Great Resignation". I wonder what the "rates provided in the contract" are.