The Cyber Security Recruiting Dilemma - A Contractor Solution For Cyber Warriors

In the cyber world everything happens quickly. New technology, new threats, new regulations and new players are constantly emerging and in order for the United States to compete and remain secure, qualified people are required - and we don't have them.

In a recent article entitled Cyberwarrior Shortage Threatens U.S. Security (by Tom Gjeltin, the author makes the following points:

· The United States is the most vulnerable country for cyber attacks.

· United States cyber defenses are not up to the challenge.

· The protection of U.S. cyber assets requires an "army" of cyber warriors but recruitment of that force is suffering. Conservative estimates are that at least 1,000 "cyberwarriors"

Not only are new candidates hard to find but existing agency personnel are leaving. This problem is beginning to be recognized by the community at large. This is a serious problem and the solution needs to include the private contractor community as well as direct hiring by government agencies. As a recent study concluded:

The ability of government agencies to fulfill their missions is in peril, requiring immediate and thoughtful attention to the recruitment, hiring and retention of talented IT professionals. Without the right people in the right jobs, our government's ability to accomplish its mission will be hindered by failing projects and high attrition rates. By investing in IT talent, government will ensure mission success and maintain a safe and prosperous nation. (Source ISSUE BRIEF | BUILDING AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE; Partnership for Public Service)

The United States Federal Government is remarkable successful in certain limited areas (e.g. defense and transportation) but recruiting cyberwarriors is clearly not in their core capabilities for a number of very good reasons:

· Cyber warriors are in high demand and the search process requires agile, innovative approaches. Government agencies are burdened with a great number of rules that inhibit the process.

· Government Employee hiring is notoriously slow. Turn around averages about 200 days and if high level clearances are required add about six months or 180 days to the process. Total time to recruit and hire a technically qualified person with required high level clearances (required by most of Cyber Command) - over 1 year.

· It is hard to change government employee status if requirements change or the employee fails to perform.

· Generally speaking government agencies don't expend effort on research and development required to keep up with technology and cyber attack strategy and tactics.

The above reasons are a part of the reasons that Government Cyber Security agencies (DHS and Cyber Command) look to contractors to supply cyberwarriors. Contractors add the innovation and facileness required to reduce the shortage for cyberwarriors. In addition, contractors add specific value in the following ways:

· Many contractors include aggressive recruiting in their business model and effectively use social networking for maximum job requisition exposure.

· Often, contractors recruit from existing staff, prior employees or through the use of social networking sites. These techniques are especially valuable when searching for candidates with high level security clearances. The turnaround on job requisitions averages 30-60 days.

· Each contract issued by a government agency has termination for convenience/cause clauses. The net effect is that if the government decides that it no longer needs or wants the cyberwarrior(s) provided - the agency can terminate the contract and fire the contractor. This gives the respective agency tremendous flexibility.

· Contractors generally engage in internally funded research and development (IR&D) and pass this on to government agencies in the form of better skilled experts and cyberwarriors.

Are Contract Employees More Expensive?

The answer is no.

Recently, contractor compensation has come under administration and media criticism as a waste of taxpayer dollars. Contractors have been portrayed as having an incestuous relationship with key agencies like those in the Intelligence community (IC). This criticism is unfair and not based on facts:

When contracts respond to agency Request for Proposal they must supply forward pricing and identify three levels of cost in detail: direct labor, fringe benefits (health insurance, paid time off, matching social security, workers compensation, unemployment insurance etc.), General and Administrative (Rent, office staff, executive salaries etc.) To the total of all the costs is added a "fee" which represents profit for the contractor (6-8%). A "fully burdened" hourly rate is calculated.

During the RFP process a Basis of Estimate (BOE) is prepared showing the number of hours required for a particular task (defined by the agency). To this estimate is multiplied the fully burdened hourly rate to determine the cost. If the contractor produces rates that are too high, it may lose the contract or, if it wins and costs are less that estimated, it must return to the government the excess. An agency called DCAA (Defense Contract Audit Agency.

As regards the elements of the fully burdened hourly rate the following should be noted:

· Direct labor rates (the amount of salary actually paid to the employee) of federal employees have increased dramatically as compared to contractor employee salaries. Some estimates are the government employee salaries are 25% higher.

· Generally speaking contractor employees are more flexible for overtime if required.

· Federal employee benefits are more lucrative than contractor benefits including separate health care (richer than the recent public health care bill passed), pension (richer than social security), greater paid time off and other benefits.

· The cost per hour per employee for Federal workers does not include any burden for General and Administrative costs - these heavy burdens for office space, utilities, office equipment and other support expenses are paid by the tax payer.

· The only area that use of Federal employees avoids is the contractor profit fee but when one considers the higher pay, benefits and the tax payer subsidized G&A costs, this is a relatively small item at 6-8%.

The bottom line is that the Federal Government needs highly qualified cyberwarriors and it needs them now in order to protect the welfare of the nation. When one compares this specialized need, and the need to protect the success of its cyber missions, the best choice is contractor provided employees.

Jon M. Stout is Chief Executive Officer of Aspiration Software LLC. Aspiration Software LLC is an Information Technology/Cyber Security services provider focused on the Intelligence Community (IC). For more information about Cyber Security and Employment Opportunities in the Intelligence Community go to http://aspirationsoftware.com

Points to Remember While Hiring A General Contractor

Are you planning to remodel your house? Here are some top questions you need to ask when you want to renovate your house. Often people are surrounded by a myriad of questions when it comes to remodeling their homes. Here are some handy tips that you need to remember.

• Go for licensed contractor: Most of the states require a general contractor with valid license. So make sure your contractor is licensed before executing any remodeling work. He can merely fake that he is licensed so make sure you check his license which should be up to date. It is under law to get licensed. If your contractor fails to produce a valid license avoid hiring him. You can even check your contractor's license from the office of the Secretary of State or verify through remodeling companies.

• Check general liability insurance: Your general contractor should possess general liability insurance. This type of insurance gives you protection against house or property damage caused by contractors or his employees. If you go for general liability insurance then you can save the cost of repairing or replacing the damage. Make sure that the contractor you hire has a certificate of insurance.

• Beware of hiring any contractor, who does not carry a valid coverage, you might be liable to pay for the injuries endured by the contractor or for his employee and property. If the contractor does not have employee under him then he might be exempted from carrying workers compensation insurance. He can even provide you a Construction Industry Certificate of Exemption from Workers Compensation. Though this can be risky! For instance if he has a helper and somehow gets hurt then you might have to pay for his medical bills and insurance. Again if the contractor shows no interest in verifying the details of his employee then you might have to pay for the compensation.

• Lender approved contractors: Many general contractors are approved-lender contractors. They are required to be approved and investigated by lenders for being financially sound and maintaining a satisfying relationship with suppliers with clear outstanding complaints against them at Better Business Bureau.

• NARI & NAHB member: NARI is the abbreviated form of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry while NAHB stands for the National Association of Home Builders. It is always a good decision to hire contractors who have been approved by these bodies. Both these institutes attract contractors that are interested in making your work easier and removing unprofessional contractors. In order to become its member the background of the contractor is checked thoroughly.

• Guaranteed work: Your contractor should in a position to guarantee work for at least a year from the date of completion. This should also include material used and warranties if applicable.

• Supervision is important: Ensure the contractor is there to supervise the work. The party responsible should be familiar with the type of work done. You cannot be worried about what is being done in your absence.

• References: Written references are important. A reputed contractor will be happy to assist you with references that you might require in the future. You should look for well established ones.

It is important to ask some specific questions to general contractors. Make a wise decision and follow some rules before you hire remodeling companies to renovate your house.

It is important to ask some specific questions to general contractors. Make a wise decision and follow some rules before you hire remodeling companies to renovate your house.

Ten Things You Need To Know Before Hiring A Remodeling Contractor

1)Are you licensed? Make sure your contractor is properly licensed. In the State of Delaware, all contractors MUST be either certified by the State (if they have a statewide license), or registered with the State (if they have a countywide license). Anyone can say they are licensed. Make the contractor prove it by either showing you the license or giving you a copy of it. Remember to check the expiration date, and the county if It's a countywide license. Being licensed is the law. If a contractor cannot produce a valid license, DON'T HIRE HIM!

If you live in a townhouse, villa, or high rise condominium building with four or more

units, only a Building Contractor or General Contractor are permitted to perform remodeling work. Do not hire a Residential Contractor; he would be operating outside of his license. Furthermore, hire a specialty contractor (trim, carpentry, drywall, glazing, aluminum, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, roofing, etc.) to do only the type of work the license specifies.

If you have any questions or doubts, call the Delaware Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or the New Castle County Construction Industry licensing board.

2. Do you carry general liability insurance? Make sure your contractor carries general liability insurance. This type of insurance protects your property in case of damage caused by the contractor and/or his employees. The insurance company will pay for the cost of replacing and/or repairing any damage that occurs.

Anyone can say they are insured. Make the contractor prove it by having their insurance company FAX or mail to you a certified copy of his insurance with you named as the certificate holder.

3. Will you provide me with a written lien waiver? Your contractor should provide you with a written lien waiver at the end of the job. This is a legal document, which says you the homeowner have paid the contractor in full for the services rendered and the contractor waives his right to place a mechanic's lien on your property. If during the course of construction you receive any Notice to Owner documents from material suppliers or sub-contractors, it would be prudent to ask the contractor for a Final Release of Lien from each one prior to paying the contractor his final draw. This protects you in case the contractor doesn't pay his material suppliers or sub¬contractors after you have paid him in full.

4. Are you a member of NARI or NAHB? NARI stands for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and NAHB stands for the National Association of Home Builders. It's always a good idea to consider hiring a NARI or NAHB contractor. In most cases, both organizations only attract conscientious contractors interested in bettering the industry and in weeding out unprofessional contractors. In order to become a member, the contractor's background and references are thoroughly investigated.

5. Will you pull all the required building permits? Make sure your contractor pulls all required permits. This is very important. When a contractor pulls the required building permits, you know things will be done to "code'. Also, many homeowner's insurance policies require pulling a permit on any major remodeling to keep your home properly covered. Not all contractors will do this. Many prefer not to pull permits because of the time involved and the "hassle" with the inspectors. Some contractors may ask you to get the permits. This could be a warning sign that they are not able to pull the permit because they are unlicensed, or the work is outside of their license. A reputable contractor will permit every job where a permit is required.

6. Do you guarantee your work? Your contractor should guarantee his work for at least one year from date of completion.

7. Who will be In charge of the Job? Make sure the contractor or his foreman is on the job whenever work is being performed, - especially if sub-contractors will be used. The

responsible party must be intimately familiar with every aspect of your project. If you won't be home during the construction and must leave the house unlocked, or leave a key with the contractor, you must feel comfortable. You can't be worried about what is going on when you are not there.

8. Will you provide me with written references? A good contractor will be happy to provide you with references. You should look for a well-established contractor who can

give you several client references from the last 6 months to one year. Ask for the name of the contractor's accountant or banker. You want to ensure the contractor is financially

sound and won't be declaring bankruptcy in the middle of your project.

9. What percentage of your business is repeat or referral business? When a significant source of a contractor's business is derived from repeat and referral business, it usually indicates that his clients are pleased with the work they have received.

10. How many projects like mine have you completed in the last year? Your contractor should have experience in the type of remodeling project you want done -- not just "contracting experience"

Roland Ridgeway is owner of Tri-State Remodeling, a delware remodeling contractor that specializes in replacement windows, roofing, vinyl siding, and gutter protection systems for homeowners in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Roland is also the author of "9 Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Window or Siding Contractor"

a free consumer guide that can be requested at http://www.tri-stateremodeling.com/remodeling_tips/consumer_guide.html