IT contractors want greater flexibility from fee structures in on-going assignments. Members of the Professional Contractors Group told Recruiter a percentage of agency fees should be transferred to them when contracts are renewed.

Chris Bell, freelance IT worker and director of IT firm APT Response, told Recruiter agencies should consider charging less after the first assignment. “If your contract is renewed by the client it is because you are doing a good job, so, on the first renewal they should charge a little less and let you take the balance,” he says, adding he knew it was wishful thinking, but that it would reward contractors for winning repeat business.

Bob Densley, a freelancer currently working as a programme director in the public sector, told Recruiter the fee structure often prohibits getting paid higher rates for repeat work.

Responding to the comments, Alan Rommel, managing director recruitment at IT recruiter Parity, told Recruiter: “It’s one of those contentious subjects. I would be happy to consider a new model of pricing, but it costs us to identify someone in the first place. If someone is only there for a very short term, that costs us money and that is countered by the people who are there long term.”