Hi Dennis,

>Please be patient with my newbie questions because I'm completely unfamiliar with contracting.
>
>What hourly rate range would be typical for a company to pay a high quality VPF contractor?

In your area I think you can count on $75-$125 an hour. A lot of that depends on the nature of the work and length of contract.

>What other costs would the company typically pay (e.g. travel, lodging, etc.) for out-of-town contractors?

Generally, travel and lodging. Travel time is usually billed as well. Meals are negotiable, a per-diem is usually reasonable.

>What methods are most effective for finding high quality contractors?

VFUG (www.vfug.org) has a job bank; here on the UT are classifieds with "Available" listings. Heck, you can always look at those listed here as small business owners or independents and send them email.