CEO, Professional Services Council

Introduction

Our mission remains the same today as when PSC began - bringing government officials together with our members to discuss potential, proposed, and current legislation, regulations, and programs that have implications for both federal policy and cost-effective execution of that policy.

The Professional Services Council (PSC) first formed in 1972 to give a voice to the handful of companies then engaged with the federal government in the often-overlooked “services” segment of the U.S. economy. These 35 industry leaders recognized the emergence and growing vitality of the professional services sector within the U.S. Government marketplace and established PSC to support policies that promote programmatic resilience, sustainability, and innovation through a fair and competitive process. In the last five decades, PSC’s membership has grown to more than 400 U.S. companies, which provide critical support to every federal agency and department in the United States and around the globe. Our members understand that competitive contracts ensure maximum transparency and account for every U.S. taxpayer dollar spent. As federal budgets ebb and flow, U.S. government contractors are asked to provide an increasing range of services-based expertise to address government requirements. Whether supporting discrete, near-term projects or longer-term demands, whether the work is for NASA, the IRS, DHS, HHS, or the Departments of State and Defense, American contractors have stepped in wherever and whenever Washington officials determined there was a need. The fact of the matter is the federal government could not function without the hundreds of thousands of contractors who provide a vast array of professional services from facilities maintenance to satellite design. These contractors work in all 50 states, all U.S. territories, and around the globe, providing exceptional services to the U.S. government and taxpayer. Thanks to our close cooperation with congressional leaders, committee chairs and ranking members, and individual members -- as well as with their staffs--PSC also advocates effectively with the legislative branch of government on contracting issues of greatest import to our member companies. At hearings and briefings and through written communications, PSC provides much-valued insights into the causes, effects and – sometimes – unintended consequences of regulations and legislation that impact the contracting community. Throughout the last 49 years, PSC has served to advocate, educate, and create public-private dialogues on behalf of American contractors and their U.S. Government customers. What follows is a terrific example of how PSC is able to leverage the knowledge of our members to address key issues impacting both the federal marketplace and the policies and programs designed to improve lives around the world. David Berteau, President & CEO, Professional Services Council