Contracts broaden the range of services that can be offered by a single agency.
Contracts allow the agency to experiment with a variety of services and various methods of delivery and provide invaluable research and statistical information. However, contracts also expand the possibility that private data on individuals may be misused. The responsible authority of the welfare system must ensure that access to not-public data by contractors is limited and secure. Contractors are a part of the welfare system to the extent specified in the contract. As a result some contractors will have the same rights and responsibilities in maintaining data as do government agencies within the welfare system.