Contractor

Definition:

An outside (third party) company or person that provides products or services. Use of this term is often related to construction projects, but more and more work is being done by independent contractors rather than employees, because companies are not required to provide health insurance or other benefits to contractors.

Examples:

The large computer manufacturers maintain relationships with many local contractors to provide on-site service of their equipment.

The County Commission often hires many contractors to complete large projects such as road repair or bridge replacement.