CIA Works to Limit Number of Contractors

Government contractors are key (and controversial) players inside the world of intelligence

Since 9/11, the CIA has increasingly relied on private contractors to help complete a variety of its assignments. From the interrogation of so-called high-value detainees and the operation of unmanned drones to a program to kill or capture al Qaeda's top brass, contractors have an important and controversial role in the world of espionage. It's a role that's coming under growing scrutiny even as spy agencies like the CIA try to wean themselves off the private workforce.

Contractors do have their advantages. They can make the often lumbering intelligence or military bureaucracies more nimble in the face of quickly changing circumstances. Without spending years training personnel, for instance, the government can simply purchase the specialties that it needs from an outside firm. And there are no legacy costs for healthcare or pensions.

Then again, outside contractors are generally far more expensive in upfront costs than the aver age federal employee. Congressional investigators estimate that the average federal employee costs the government just over $120,000 per year, while a contractor can cost more than $250,000. And contractors' accountability—particularly for dangerous and politically explosive international projects—is sometimes unclear. The legal accountability of contractors in general is currently being tested by several lawsuits against military contractors for their actions overseas.