and in this respect organizations who have large in-house procurement teams can be just as inefficient and ineffective at buying external services as those with no in-house expertise at all.  The key is how you view your SOW workforce. If you principally view the SOW workforce as a cost or a risk to be minimized, then the result will be an approach that is far too rigid and controlling. You may overly focus on definitions, rules and uniformity. You may add unnecessary time and complexity across the end-to-end process, leaving you with a very frustrated supply chain.  Alternatively, if you view the SOW workforce as a competitive asset, then you will adopt an approach that is much more likely to succeed in the long term. You will focus on the work that needs to get done and consider all potential engagement options. You will deploy sourcing strategies that facilitate and empower the people with the need and the budget, and you will have an invested supply chain that’s dedicated to delivering results.