You’ve sent an employee overseas to work on a government contract.  Suddenly, that person is kidnapped and held for ransom. What do you do?  Knowing the answer to this question before it happens is critical.  Contractors do get mugged, shot, kidnapped and killed while working for federal agencies.  It’s not always where you’d expect, either.  It can happen on or near a military base in the US itself.  Simply put, your company can’t assume that the agency you’re working for will leap to the rescue.  US international relationships can make multi-variable calculus seem straightforward.  Just ask The Washington Post how well relying on the State Department is working out for their employee still held in Iran.  Similarly, contractors can’t rely on the government keeping their worker’s information safe.  Make sure your firm has redundant secure systems in place and insist on retaining all but the most essential information yourself.  Your people are your asset.  Their physical and cyber security need to be a primary concern of yours.  Look at the headlines any day this week.  The government already has enough on its plate without having to worry about you.  Still not convinced?  More than one government person has said, within earshot of Allen Federal, “They’re just a contractor getting paid.”  Proceed with that knowledge.