TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Status of the Technical Writer From:quills -at- airmail -dot- net To:"Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>, "'Techwr-l'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:27:17 -0500
It's basically because the people doing the classification of jobs
have no idea what is involved in tech writing. They are clueless at
best.
GSA has it's head where the sun don't shine.
At 3:11 PM -0700 6/7/07, Lauren wrote:
>I'm really starting to wonder about this whole technical writer thing. I'm
>reviewing government (GSA) contracts to find a contract or two to use as a
>base so that I can form a contract with California and be a CMAS contractor.
>That's the CMAS process.
>
>I have found plenty of IT contracts that include job descriptions that apply
>to me, but these contracts usually do not include the job, Technical Writer.
>One IT contract that I have found does, but the other job categories that
>I'm trying to offer do not match up.
>
>I want to form a contract that includes the jobs that I have performed and
>that includes Technical Writer. I have searched the GSA database and I only
>seem to find technical writer in the temporary employment (TAPS) staffing
>section. They are listed with Admistrative Assistants and Paralegals. The
>highest earning Paralegals earn more than TWs and TWs earn slightly more
>than the highest paid Secretary. Photographers and Engineering Technicians
>are at the top in one contract.
>
>Has the position of TW really been reduced to a temporary agency type of job
>that is really not very specialized? I thought that technical writing
>should be in contracts that are written for development and engineering
>projects. But the development-focused contracts that I have read do not
>include them.
>
>The GSA contracts are here,
>http://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/ScheduleList.
>
>Temps list,
>http://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/SinDetails?scheduleNumber=736&specia
>lItemNumber=736+5&executeQuery=YES&filter=NO
>
>Companies with names that begin with "Accel" seem to have the most accurate
>job descriptions.
>
>Lauren
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-