The "contracts person" is one link in the chain. The far more important and relevant links--the ones with the connections and personal relationships with people

The "contracts person" is one link in the chain. The far more important and relevant links--the ones with the connections and personal relationships with people in the government who award these contracts. One of the reasons government contracting is the wasteful, corrupt mess it is is because it's an extension of the rest of politics in Washington: a machine designed to move taxpayer money into the hands of the connected and already-wealthy. Having a "contracts person" may slightly increase one's chances of getting smaller contracts. Having the right pedigree is the almost the only thing that matters with contracts as big as the web of HealthCare.gov contracts, and no startup is going to be able to offer a level of financial or intangibles compensation to pull those with the right pedigree away.