A Public Solutions Handbook. Government contracting is one of the most important issues facing federal, state, and local governments. As governments contend with lower tax revenues and a growing belief that smaller government is better government, contracting has become a fundamental means of providing goods and services to citizens. Government Contracting, which is geared toward practitioners as well as students, addresses the broad range of issues that comprise government contracting - from the political, economic philosophy, and value of contracting - to the future of government contracting.