Virtual Workshop
Managing Contract Lobbyists and Consultants
July 24, 2025
1:30 p.m.−3:45 p.m. ET
Hiring a contract lobbyist or consultant is a big decision for many reasons – how do you know which consultant or lobbyists will best fit your needs? What are best practices for assessing the work they take on? Whether you’re looking for a contract lobbyist or public affairs firm, this workshop will cover considerations when hiring, assessing, and managing contract lobbyists and consultants.
1:30 pm
Making a Hiring Decision and Signing the Contract
Deciding whether to bring on another full-time employee vs. a contract lobbyist or consulting firm is a significant decision. Once decided, questions remain, such as — what should be included in the contract? And which lobbyist or consultant is the best fit for your organization? Our expert speaker will take us through each stage of this process.
In this session, we will:
- Explore what to consider when determining if a contract lobbyist, consulting firm or full-time employee will best meet your government relations needs
- Highlight cases where hiring a contract lobbyist or consultant led to success
- Cover how to identify, interview and onboard the right lobbyist
- Discuss what to think about including in a lobbyists’ or consultants’ contract
2:30 pm
Break
2:45 pm
Evaluation and Next Steps
Once your lobbyist or consultant is on board, it’s important to know how to evaluate and manage the relationship, as well as ways to extend —or conclude — the professional relationship. You’ll walk away from the second portion of this workshop with expert guidance and top tips for doing it all.
In this session, we will:
- Share best practices for onboarding and managing the relationship between you and your consultant to achieve results
- Cover indicators to watch for as the lobbying work is underway
- Walk through different ways to evaluate your consultant’s performance
- Discuss how to determine if the contract should be extended, amended or ended, and how to conclude the relationship without burning bridges
3:45 pm
Adjourn
This program is eligible for 2 credits toward the Certificate in Government Relations and Lobbying and 2 Core credits toward the Certificate in Public Affairs Management.
Register
Membership Plus: FREE
Members: $339
Non-Members: $449
More Registration Info
Additional discounts may apply to this meeting. These discounts may include:
For multiple registrants: A discount will apply to the standard member/nonmember rate for organizations that register two or more participants for the same meeting. The first registrant will pay full price, the second participant will receive a 10% discount and each additional registrant will receive a 15% discount. To register multiple participants, you may either register online or download the print and fax registration form.
Member discounts: Discounts for members are applied to all Public Affairs Council meetings.
Nonmembers: Join the Council today, and save by registering at the member rate and using the $300 new-member coupon you will receive. Contact our membership team for information about joining the Council.
Questions? Contact us at 202.787.5950.
Questions
Anna Platt
Senior Manager, Government Relations
202.787.5955 | [email protected]