@AC ...Re: Why go Anonymous you coward!
Sorry, but I am one of those contractors that gets called in to do the heavy lifting. I've worked in telco where 80% of the work was done by contractors/consultants. And this product became the cornerstone of the company. Of course every one of us contractors pushed ourselves to do our best work and we were a band of professionals.
Smaller teams of seasoned experts will always outperform the marching masses... regardless as employee or contractor.
When the contractor believes that he's only as good as his last project... he has skin in the game.