Developing and Managing the Federal Acquisition Workforce

1. Developing and Managing the Federal Acquisition Workforce Lesley Field (202) 395-4761 lfield@omb.eop.gov

2. Emphasis on Human Capital • Human Capital is part of the President’s Management Agenda • The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) has responsibility for establishing policies and procedures to manage the civilian (non-DAWIA) acquisition workforce including: • Accession • Education • Training • Career Development • Performance Incentives

3. Draft Policy Letter 05-01 on Workforce Development • Intend to release by April 2005 • Purpose is two-fold: • Broadly define the acquisition workforce • Closely align civilian and defense workforce requirements

4. Broadly Defining the Workforce • The Services Acquisition Reform Act (SARA) defines acquisition broadly to include functions other than traditional contracting (management and measurement of performance, tech and mgmt direction, etc.) • Policy Letter gives Chief Acquisition Officers (CAOs) responsibility for identifying their workforce to include, at a minimum: • All GS-1102s • All warranted Contracting Officers (COs) regardless of series • All GS-1105s • Program and project managers, as identified by the CAO • All CORs and COTRs • Any acquisition-related position identified by the CAO

5. Aligning the Civilian and Defense Workforce Requirements • Core competencies aligned • Core training aligned • No change to the qualification standard for civilian 1102s (no change to the education standard)

6. Federal Acquisition Certification – Contracting GS-1102 • Level I, II, and III (likely) • Required for new COs warranted after January 1, 2007 (SPEs can waive on case-by-case basis w/documentation) • Career enhancing credential • 80 continuous learning points required to keep certification (and warrant, if applicable) • FAI is developing certification program for CAOC approval • Prospective candidates • Legacy workforce • All civilian agencies, at a minimum, shall accept this as evidence an employee meets the minimum requirements

7. Federal Acquisition Certification – Program and Project Managers and Others • Generally reflect the DAU requirements, though may be limited to basic training • FAI will develop recommendations for other disciplines • Career enhancing credential

8. CORs and COTRs • CAOs responsible for developing basic and refresher training for agency CORs and COTRs • CORs and COTRs shall enter training information into ACMIS • DAU is preparing to launch a revised on-line COR/COTR course this spring

9. Acquisition Career Management Information System (ACMIS) • By October 1, 2006 (proposed): • All GS-1102s • All COs regardless of series • All GS-1105 • By October 1, 2007 (proposed): • CORs/COTRs • Program and project managers, as appropriate • Hope to integrate OPM’s competency management inventory system and ACMIS

10. Agency Acquisition Career Manager CAO shall designate a person to manage implementation of this Letter at the agency level to include, but not limited to: • Managing identification of the workforce • Proposing to the CAO an annual budget • Providing input to the Chief Human Capital Officer on human capital strategic planning • Proposing a transition plan • Recommending waivers, as necessary • Maintaining and managing agency-wide data

11. Other Human Capital Initiatives • CAOC Human Capital Working Group • Reviewing FSS study on emerging trends in acquisition • Identifying data needs to help agencies determine future human capital needs • FAI Board of Directors • Provides general guidance and direction to FAI • Assists FAI in prioritizing needs for Acquisition Workforce Training Fund • Collocation of FAI and DAU • Ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 11, 2005 • Will help civilian agencies leverage DAU’s training development and delivery efforts

12. Questions?