**GAO-08-360**                      Published: Mar 26, 2008. Publicly Released: Mar 26, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

In 2007, the Department of Defense (DOD) paid contractors $158.3 billion for a range of services, including contract specialists. To better understand the use of contractors in this role, GAO initiated a case study, under the authority of the Comptroller General, at the Army Contracting Agency's (ACA) Contracting Center of Excellence (CCE). GAO determined (1) the extent to which and why CCE relies on contractor contract specialists, (2) how risks of contractor use are mitigated, (3) how the cost of the contractors compares to that for CCE's government employees, and (4) whether the contract vehicles were appropriate. GAO reviewed a random sample of contract files to understand the contractors' duties and responsibilities, compared compensation costs, and reviewed documents from the General Services Administration (GSA), under whose contracts CCE ordered the contract specialists.

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## Topics

Government Operations

Comparative analysisContract administrationContract costsContractor paymentsContractor personnelDefense cost controlDefense procurementDepartment of Defense contractorsEmployee trainingFederal employeesGovernment contractsGovernment employeesHuman capital managementHuman capital planningPrivate sectorRisk assessmentRisk managementInternal controlsContract principles