DOD Acquisition: Fiscal Year 1993 Waivers to Acquisition Workforce Requirements
Abstract
The quality and professionalism of DOD'S acquisition workforce has been an issue for over 30 years. In 1986, the Presidents Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management (the Packard Commission) described the DOD acquisition workforce as "undertrained, underpaid, and inexperienced." In July 1989, DOD's Defense Management Review' reported many of the same problems and recommended a series of specific management initiatives to improve the acquisition process and more effectively manage DOD resources. The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act is designed to improve the effectiveness and quality of DODS acquisition workforce, which is composed of 11 functional career fields, such as program management, contracting, and logistics. Specifically, the act (1) establishes a management and career development structure headed by the Director of Acquisition Education, Training, and Career Development Policy, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; (2) establishes qualification standards and assignment period requirements for the acquisition workforce; (3) requires the establishment of an acquisition corps, which consists of a group of selected senior civilian employees (GS-13 and above) and military personnel (O-4 and above) from the acquisition workforce; and (4) requires the designation of critical acquisition positions, which are generally to be filled by civilians in grades GS-14 or above or military personnel in grades O-5 and above. Membership in an acquisition corps is a prerequisite for future appointments to critical acquisition positions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- AD1174373
Entities
People
- David E. Cooper
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office