An article in the Washington Post recently summarized how federal departments are paying firms to help spend stimulus money. The stimulus program is working well for federal contractors for two reasons. First, the following types of services are needed quickly to help implement stimulus programs, and they create jobs quickly.

• Assistance in reviewing and evaluating applications for stimulus funds
• Developing stimulus fund reporting systems
• Monitoring performance and spending rates for stimulus programs

Second, the following types of services are needed quickly to implement stimulus programs at the operating level, and they create jobs quickly in even greater numbers.

• Implementing energy improvements, e.g., installing new lighting or air conditioning systems
• Implementing broadband internet services
• Implementing heath care record systems
• Constructing and maintaining infrastructure

Most of the contracts mentioned in the article were transacted under multi-vendor, task order contracts, probably GSA Schedules. Why? Because the buy can be made within weeks with little paperwork, and the jobs materialize much quicker. The article focuses on the D.C. area but the same thing is happening outside of D.C.