As we hit September, it’s budget season for most businesses and it’s 2026 agenda season for policy groups. If you’re engaged at any level, you eventually face the same question: do we hire government affairs staff in-house, or contract with outside professionals? The answer depends on your size, priorities, and readiness. But for most midsize businesses and associations, the smartest first step is to hire before you build.
Here’s why:
When to Hire (Contract First):
- Speed to market. Policy moves fast. A contract lobbying team can plug you into the process as soon as the contract is signed, without the time and overhead of recruiting staff.
- Breadth of expertise. Contract professionals bring relationships across agencies, committees, and local governments that can’t be replicated overnight.
- Lower initial investment. You avoid the salary, benefits, and infrastructure costs of a permanent hire while still gaining strategic coverage.
- Flexibility. You can scale your engagement up or down depending on the political environment or organizational priorities.
When to Build (In-House Later):
- Steady, predictable issues. If your organization constantly faces legislative or regulatory action, having an internal staffer keeps focus sharp.
- Dedicated attention. There is no substitute for an in-house staffer who wakes up and eats, sleeps, and breathes an issue. Contract lobbyists are great, but they have other clients who have other demands on a day-to-day basis.
- Integration with strategy. An internal role can align policy goals directly, and on a daily basis, with marcomm, operations, and member services.
- Long-term visibility. A permanent presence signals that your organization is a fixture in the policy arena.
For the highly engaged organization, a combination of both is a perfect marriage. It’s one we’ve been on both sides of (as in-house and as contract), so we understand the needs of both. At BridgePSG, we believe in meeting organizations where they are. For many, the right model is to start contract, gain traction, and then explore building in-house capacity. We’ve helped organizations do both — stepping in to represent them directly or advising on how to structure their own government affairs shop.
Takeaway:
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of progress. Hire first, build when the time is right, and let BridgePSG help you design a strategy that grows with your organization.