Chief of the Year: Acquisition
Hugh Hurwitz, senior procurement executive, Education Department.
On June 15, Government Executive is featuring the government's chief officers of acquisition, finance, human capital, information and information security in a special issue of the magazine. This year we've identified individuals to highlight as Chiefs of the Year -- not necessarily because they are unsurpassed in their fields, but because their peers have much to learn from their experiences.
Chris Flynn
Hugh Hurwitz
Senior Procurement Executive
Education Department
The Obama administration is eager to build up the government's internal acquisition capability. The White House's fiscal 2011 budget includes $133 million to boost the size of procurement workforces at civilian agencies by about 5 percent. The plan is to hire predominantly entry-level and midcareer employees from industry for a host of contracting-related positions.
At the Education Department, applications have been pouring in for entry-level contracting positions, but not for slots at the GS-12 level or higher.
"We have to bite the bullet and hire young people that don't know a lot about contracts and then train them, which is nice because they learn to do it the way we want it done and don't bring baggage and bad habits," says Hugh Hurwitz, deputy chief financial officer and senior procurement executive. "But on the other hand they don't know anything. The workload doesn't go away… it puts more burden on the staff that is there, but in the end it pays out."
Hurwitz is taking a hands-on approach to the effort.
"I meet with all new employees," he says. The meeting is part of an onboarding program that stemmed from discussions with employees at the opposite end of their Education careers.
"Two years ago, we started doing exit interviews, and it was pretty clear from people who were leaving that one of the things they were frustrated about when they came on board was they didn't know what they were doing and how to do it, and they didn't have the proper resources," Hurwitz says. "That obviously had stuck with them."
The welcome program ensures newcomers have mentors, access to computer system log-ins and other information technology resources, and training and work waiting for them.
"At some agencies they'll hand you the [Federal Acquisition Regulation] to read because they don't have any work to give you," Hurwitz says. "This program ensures you have assignments, you meet the right people, that you get introduced to everybody in the office. It makes for a much smoother transition, makes people feel welcome."
In addition, it means Education can take advantage of the new hands on deck from the get-go.
"Every agency is screaming that they have more work to do and not enough people to do it," Hurwitz says. "Then you bring in new people, which is what you're supposed to be doing, but then you don't give them work to do or don't give them tools to do it."
Hurwitz describes the program as "rudimentary," but he says it has drawn praise from employees at a range of other agencies.
"What we came up with was kind of basic, but it's so rarely being done that everyone thinks it's a great idea," Hurwitz says. "It has gotten such a good reception that the human capital working group at the [Chief Human Capital Officers Council] got a copy of it and is looking at ways to implement it beyond Ed."