New insights into old theories: contracting relationships and the separation of powers

The continual frustration expressed in the literature about contracting is usually placed in the frame of political economy, contract regimes or interorganizational behavior. This article proposes that two conceptual omissions in the literature, an understanding of the separation of powers and the acknowledgment of different types of contracting situations, can complement the contracting literature. The article describes the author's observation of the contracting process from a study of four federal contracting situations under the Circular A-76 process and compares these observations with examples of state contracting of social services. Recommendations include recognition of the value configurations surrounding governmental processes and types of contracting as an aid to improving contracting management techniques.