Beltway bandit

plural Beltway bandits

1. informalA consulting or research company that mostly carries out work for US government departments or agencies.

   He worked for a beltway bandit firm, doing engineering work. He computed trajectories on missiles... that kind of thing.

   2001, Richard B. Schwartz, After the Fall, page 45

2. informalAn employee of such a firm, especially a former employee of the firm's clients.
3. informalA short-term money lender to contractors working for the US government but waiting for US congressional appropriations.

   [He] turned out to be what is called a "Beltway bandit," lending money at short-term high (but legal) rates to government contractors low on cash who are awaiting congressional appropriation funding.

   1999 July 1, Po Bronson, “Gen Equity”, in Wired