Breakout Session # 1003 Robert E. Ransom, Workforce Practice Manager

2. Influencing Factors that Affect the Size of an Organization’s Acquisition Workforce Breakout Session #1003 Robert E. Ransom, Workforce Practice Manager Acquisition Solutions, Incorporated Date April 14, 2008 Time 3:00pm

3. Purpose • Define key factors that: • influence workforce efficiency and effectiveness • can be used in conjunction with formal staffing models Premise: The right size of an acquisition workforce depends on its efficiency and effectiveness

4. Common Questions • How many people do I need? • Grade structure • Skill types • What is the proper mix of people? • Managers, officers, specialists, administrative • In-house or contracted support • How do I compare with others?

5. Why Do We Ask Questions? • Continuous pressure to: • Do more with less • Do it faster, better, cheaper • Improve outcomes Must increase efficiency and effectiveness

6. Why Must We Increase Efficiency? $440 Billion in contract obligations $157 Billion in contract obligations 47,000 GS 1102 1105 and 1106’s 33,000 GS 1102 1105 and 1106’s 30% less staff available to award over twice as much dollars!

7. Why Must We Improve Effectiveness?

8. What Are Common Performance Metrics? Must measure both efficiency and effectiveness to be balanced!

9. Why Not Just Compare Agencies?

10. What is a Good Workforce Staffing Approach? • Define workload drivers • Number & type of contracts • Value of obligations & number of transactions • Required competencies • Air Force Manpower Standard (AFMS 12AO) • Historical staffing/comparable organizations • Consider factors that influence efficiency and effectiveness • What must be done to achieve efficient and effective results • Information collected through: • Stakeholder interviews • Examination of operating guidelines and practices

11. Why Consider Factors that Influence Efficiency and Effectiveness? • Look beyond workload drivers: • Focus on organizational attributes • Identify issues that must be addressed in order to improve workforce performance • Focus on achieving results

12. What Kind of Factors Influence Productivity? • People • Competencies, utilization, moral • Process • Ad-hoc or common • Currency and relevance of defined practices • Extent defined practices are followed • Extent practices promote interaction with stakeholders • Technology • Availability, accessibility, utility • 12 variables

13. Workforce Influencing Factors - People • Staff competency and availability of training • Employee morale and turnover • Use of external resources to support the acquisition process • Appropriate utilization of talent

14. Workforce Influencing Factors - Process • Extent of delegation of procurement authority to promote optimal performance • Span of control to promote compliance or empowerment • Appropriateness and accessibility of policies and procedures to support productivity • Quality of internal management controls • Trends in budget and efficiency metrics • Complexity of transactions • Customer alignment and teaming

15. Workforce Influencing Factors - Technology • Level of automation including accessibility and reliability of information • Sufficiency and timeliness of information to make strategic decisions • Automation and integration of procurement processes with other agency systems to improve efficiency

16. Consequences of Unbalanced Perspective • Toxic work environment • Mistakes • Poor contract management • Untimely actions • Baseless decisions • Increased criticism and oversight

17. What Are the Next Steps? • Define workload drivers • Assess current practices relative to influencing factors • Identify and implement improvement opportunities • Improve efficiency and effectiveness • Identify performance measures, targets • Move from oversight to insight • Create a strategic human capital plan • Measure and celebrate year over year progress

18. Conclusion • There is no “one-size fits all” approach to workforce staffing • Defining the right size workforce is more than numbers, it’s: • Understanding the factors that influence productivity • Monitoring performance and measuring year-over-year results • Solutions require: • Creating and sustaining a positive environment • Investing in training and professional growth • Changing perspective from monitoring process/compliance to measuring outcome

19. Thank You! Robert E. Ransom Acquisition Solutions, Inc (571) 334-3637

20. Bibliography • Air Force Manpower Standard (2000) http://www.afmia.randolph.af.mil/afms/index.htm • Baldwin, Laura H., (2005) Air Force service procurement : approaches for measurement and management. The Rand Corporation http://www.rand.org/ • Defense Acquisition Transformation – Report to Congress (July 2007) • Federal Acquisition Institute (2006) “Annual Report on the Federal Acquisition Workforce” http://www.fai.gov/pdfs/FAI%20annual%20workforce%20report%202007.pdf • Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, July 17, 2007.  http://hsgac.senate.gov/_files/071707JILOpen.pdf • Statement of Chairman Joe Lieberman, Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, July 17, 2007.  http://hsgac.senate.gov/_files/071707JILOpen.pdf • S. Rept.  110-77, Senate Committee on Armed Services, June 5, 2007; http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:sr077.110.pdf • The Hackett Group – 2006 World-Class Metrics: The 5 Best Practices of World Class Companies” Vol 10, Number 5. www.thehackettgroup.com