@astroPug @yogthos I have done the contracting sphere multiple times. Government Contracting, Contract-to-Hire, Uncapped/no-length contract, as well as worked for multiple Managed Service Providers (who, in turn, function off contracts).

Contracting has zero redeeming values to it. Every single contract gig I was on - save one - would have seen lower costs for the contracting entity (company/gov) and higher quality of life for the contractor (staffer) if it had been a permanent hire instead of outsourced, simply by removing the middle man parasite layer.

The sole exception was a contract for a pharmaceutical company that had made grave staffing errors during their growth phase and needed help cranking through basic support ticket backlogs ("reset my password" and "I need Lotus Notes access" stuff). It lasted ~6mo, we crushed the queue, and that was that.

That's what contracting is: temporary help for temporary problems, not replacing or offshoring FTE workers.