Consulting to the U.S. Federal Government is not what it used to be. The free flow of funding to consulting firms from various federal departments has been stagnating or in steady decline since the economic crisis in 2008. As funds become scarcer, competition among firms increases in the federal procurement process. Additionally, clients must face the prospect of having less money to spend while undergoing greater scrutiny as they navigate the increasingly complex minefield that is federal procurement.
Budget decreases have dictated that federal departments must become stricter in the distribution of funds for consulting services. Clients must look at the services needed with a cold eye and truly determine if the work they need cannot be achieved with internal resources, even if the process is more difficult in the long run.
