As a F/T hourly, you make even less on a full T5 than a contract Investigator. An experienced F/T Investigator on average makes $27.00 per hour. I estimate the following averages and put these even on the high end of how many hours it would take to complete these tasks from start to finish including typing. An SI=6 hours; employment record=.75 hours, two employment references=2 hours, a neighbor=1 hour: and an LCR=1 hour. Briefing/scoping takes 1/2 hour. Total case time requires about 11.25 hours times $27.00 per hour=$303.75.
Let’s say the T5 requires a little more field work and requires an additional education record, two references, two additional employments each with with an employment record, supervisor, and co-worker. Add additional 3.5 hours for the extra field work. Now for 14.75 hours at $27.00 per hour, your time is billed as $398.25 as an hourly employee. The vendor still walks away with at least $4,500 on the T5 even after paying the first and second level reviewer and the pre-scoping and other record entities covering items on a case.
The independent contractor would only make $800 or double the hourly given the same circumstances I just described.
Like I said laughing all of the way to the bank for the vendor at the expense of the Investigator! 
Investigators need a Union or direct federal contracting to remove the middle man!