[singhrac]

I don't really understand (I mean, I do understand on some level) why we don't have a decent US government agency that specializes in consulting work like this. Why didn't the BLM get the USDS to work on this website and then train them to maintain it?

I guess I don't understand why Booz Allen Hamilton is able to employ contractors for this work but the USDS is not. Is this truly the cost of building and running such a website (i.e. 2-3mm/yr according to this website)?

[jelling]

Re: hiring contractors via an intermediary, the civil service unions pay scales make it nearly impossible to hire skilled specialists at market rates.

Also, it is very difficult to lay-off public employees if their role becomes unnecessary in the future.

Hiring indirectly via a contracted intermediary largely solves both of these problems.