OMB issues guidelines for acquisition workforce training

The Office of Management and Budget issued fresh guidance for agencies on acquisition policy Monday, emphasizing employee training, certification, and the role of chief acquisition officers.

In a letter to agency heads, David H. Safavian, head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, said chief acquisition officers are responsible for developing acquisition personnel by assessing skills and budgeting for training. The position of chief acquisition officer was created by the 2003 Services Acquisition Reform Act.

"This policy will allow civilian agencies to strengthen their whole acquisition workforce through training and development, rather than focusing just on traditional contracting functions," said Safavian in a statement.

Government officials and others familiar with procurement issues long have pointed to the shortfall in qualified acquisition officials, a problem likely to be exacerbated by the aging of the federal workforce.

SARA addressed the workforce issue partially by creating a governmentwide training fund that draws on money collected from agency fees on contracts. The fund, started in March 2004, totaled $5.2 million in fiscal 2004.

SARA also created an advisory panel that will report on federal acquisition by the end of the year. One of the panel's working groups is focusing on employees, and will explore who should be included in the definition of the acquisition workforce, what their responsibilities are, and what skills they need.

Safavian's letter broadened the definition of the procurement workforce to include employees involved in establishing business relationships with vendors and in support functions, such as finance.

Bob Welch, a partner at the consulting firm Acquisition Solutions Inc., called the letter a "good and necessary step in dealing with the biggest issue in federal acquisition," which he considers to be workforce shortfalls.

"Everyone needs to recognize that there are not enough people to go around, so they need to take care of the ones they have," he said.

In his letter, Safavian encouraged the General Services Administration's Federal Acquisition Institute to develop certification programs to document skills by January 2006 and urged agencies to reimburse employees for taking full-time acquisition courses.

By April 2006, Safavian said the institute should develop measurements for workforce development programs, create a core curriculum, and establish career development programs, such as a governmentwide intern program.