SBS gets screwed in this market, seriously.
What you get with contractors is freedom from salaries, benefits, leave, and liability. Depends on what you are wanting. As someone who has worked for the state, I can say the contractors we hired were worth 3-4 internal employees. The contractors have incentive, the in-house never did, they got paid the same no matter how hard they worked, just as long as they kept that seat warm between 8-5.
So hell yes, you can call us states activists a joke, but if states were allowed more self governance we will be a better, more stable economy.
Living on Earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the Sun.