The private sector isn't the only place where CIOs have one headache after another. The federal section has its problems too. Michael Carleton, the new CIO at the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, said that the changing business complexion of federal IT suppliers, ever-tighter federal budgets, and new contractor personnel identification hurdles are making it harder to successfully complete federal IT projects. The proposed HHS budget for 2009, set to be released on Feb. 4th, is flat. And the workload is still high, he told a group of contractors on Jan. 30 at the Industry Advisory Council.

Another big issue, he said, is that fewer vendors with success in commercial markets are now competing for federal projects. That leaves the terrain in the hands of a small number of players who have plenty of experience in federal projects, but may not be as capable as others in bringing best IT practices to federal agencies. "We're getting more and more prescriptive," with the government's technology requirements and that's leading to higher costs and greater risks for federal IT suppliers, Carlton said.

Not only that, the feds are getting tougher with their requirements as well. Contractor personnel with even minor credit or legal problems could face protracted delays in obtaining basic clearance to work on federal sites, Carleton said. So while the grass might seem greener on the other side of the fence, it really isn't. Let us know what you think in the comments. Is it better working in the federal sector or the private one?

For more on the harried life of the federal CIO:
- See this GCN article