Homeland Security Department officials want to draw a bright and shiny line between the two teams that work inside a federal department: the federal employees and the contractors.
Under DHS’ FirstSource II draft request for proposals, officials are telling contractor employees to announce in all interactions that they are not federal employees but are, instead, contractors.
For example, contractor employees must introduce themselves, in person and in voicemails, as employees of their companies. They cannot try to elide the difference by saying they work for DHS. And if they’re employed by a subcontractor, they have to identify the company, not say they are employees of their prime contractor.
And federal Homeland Security Department officials—not to be confused with contractors—are suggestion that these announcements aren’t something for people to laugh about over lunch.
“Failure to adhere to this requirement may constitute grounds for termination for default of the base FirstSource II contract,” the draft states. Serious stuff.
The Defense Department has a similar rule. Contractors must announce, wherever they go, that they are contractor, not a federal employee. Officials instituted the rule in 2010.
The “Hi, I’m a contractor” rule may show who’s who in a conversation or meeting. But it won’t help in blending the workforce, some readers have said.
Contractors fear that the rule could undermine the teamwork that’s essential in that type of workforce.
“How do you maintain unity of community when segregation is forced?” a reader asked.
— by Matthew Weigelt – Washington Technology – Oct. 31, 2011 at http://washingtontechnology.com/blogs/acquisitive-mind/2011/10/dhs-contractor-announcement-firstsource-ii.aspx?s=wtdaily_021111
