Best Practices in Implementing an Acquisition Professional

Development Program

Jennie Liming, General Services Administration

Karen Pica, PhD, Office of Management and Budget

Lisa Doyle, Department of Veterans Affairs

2

Best Practices in Implementing an Acquisition Professional Development Program

• Introduction• Objectives • Acquisition Priority – WORKFORCE• Overview of Agency Programs• Challenges• Solutions• Your Next Steps

3

Best Practices in Implementing an Acquisition Professional Development Program

Acquisition Workforce• Presidential Priority – March 4, 2009 Memorandum on

Government Contracting• OMB Acquisition Workforce Development Plan for

Civilian Agencies• FY2011 Budget• Growing the Capacity and Capability of the Acquisition

Workforce Federal Wide• OFPP Administrator’s Top Priority

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Recruitment-Development-Engagement-Retention

• FAS officially launched May 1, 2007• Immediately created a 5-yr Human Capital Strategic Plan• Plan outlined a number of initiatives regarding strategic

recruitment• Workforce planning & analysis are critical:

– age gap + retirement eligible workforce + need for 1102/343 =

early career interns • Don’t invent the wheel – our successful GSA-FMS intern

program was a model

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Key Success Factors

• Visible Leadership Support • Strong Business Case [plan + budget]• Strategic Recruitment• Comprehensive on-boarding program• Capitalizing on the “Power of Cohort”- Networking• Strategic Developmental Plan [formal, rotations,

technical, professional] • National Framework-Central Reporting

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Strategic Recruitment• Planning is critical• Seek to establish long-term relationships with

colleges/universities’ career centers• Campus outreach• Market/Brand your agency to Gen-Y that Gov’t is “cool”• To recruit the best, send the best!• When possible, include Gen-Y on your recruitment team• Maximize any hiring authority available to you (FCIP,

VRA, Direct Hire)• Comprehensive On-Boarding Process

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Developing Acquisition Talent

• Implement a blended learning approach to include:– 343 and 1102 learning together– Career 101-”Backpack to Briefcase”– Technical and Professional Development Training– Building Leadership Competencies– Employing E-learning– On the job training – meaningful rotational assignments– Technical Certification Training (FAC-C, PMP, Business

Analytics)– Book Clubs– Embrace a culture that encourages “self-development”

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Workforce Management Infrastructure

• Visible Leadership Support

• Dedicated FAS ECPDP Team Staff (4 FTE)

• Engaged Rotational Supervisors and Coaches– Provide Generational Communication training– Obtain feedback on interns & training for continuous process

improvement loop

• POCs in every business portfolio

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Engagement + Retention• Power of the Cohort• Understanding Gen Y

– Provide ways for interns to own their own program: newsletter, recruitment, visible support for agency initiatives (like Expo)

– Plan to move them, Plan to lose them – plan to get them back

• “Professional” Development … more than FAC-C training• Measuring for Success … requires multiple touch points:

– Intern feedback - % offers accepted– Continuous Leadership Support– Manager/coach feedback - Leadership potential

over time– Retention rate over time

Federal Acquisition Service

Focus Your Future on GSAFAS Early Career Professional Development Program

Class 1 Cohort Demographics

• 30 interns for Class 1 Cohort• Representation from 23 College and Universities from

across the US• 16% with Masters (MBA; JD)• 13% Veterans• All have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; 76% with 24

semester hours of business credit

VA Acquisition Academy – Acquisition Internship School

GSA Expo

May 2010

A Need for Change

Two decades of “downsizing”, increased outsourcing and congressional scrutiny and oversight has strained an over tasked acquisition workforce

Acquisition stewards of over $15 billion in pharmaceutical, medical supplies and equipment, information technology, construction and facilities management

GS-1102 workforce understaffed by approximately 500 Looming retirements of baby boomers Significant number of veterans returning from war in Iraq,

Afghanistan and other theaters will require a more competent, innovative, and “solutions-oriented” acquisition workforce

13

Making A Meaningful Difference

To develop new and existing/seasoned personnel into trusted business advisors who are capable of executing the FAR’s emphasis on using sound business judgment to deliver best value solutions

To become catalysts for change, transforming the VA acquisition process from “tactical and reactive” to “strategically-driven and focused on results”

Program includes stakeholder engagement and value measurement methodologies to ensure alignment with business needs to satisfy VA mission

14

Acquisition Internship School

Three-year residential program – Launched September 2008– Excepted service appointments– Career ladder to GS-12

Currently 55 interns; hiring 30 more by August 2010– Cohorts move through program simultaneously

Intern demographics– Representation from over 15 states across US– More than 53% are veterans– Many with MBAs or Juris Doctorates– All have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree

2009 Chief Acquisition Officer Council Acquisition Excellence Award

15

Taking a Holistic Approach

The intern curriculum consists of a holistic approach to developing technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills through the following components:

Mission Service Projects

Interns plan and participate in Mission Service activities in order to gain a better understanding of VA’s mission, vision and core values. Projects include:

– Veterans Career Boost– Medical Center Visits– Homeless Veterans Welcome Home Program– Veterans Elementary School Letter Writing Campaign

17

“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan”

~Abraham Lincoln~

Reduced Time to Competency

Accelerated Learning Why it Works… Designed to accelerate

learning curve to be more productive more quickly

Emphasis on translating theory, fundamentals, and concepts to practical application

Program evolves from basic to more complex acquisition strategies

18

FAC-C Level III Certified Contracting Professional

Trusted Business Advisor

Co

mp

ete

nc

y P

rofi

cie

nc

y

Time

Traditional Intern Program

VA Acquisition Intern Program

On the Horizon

Hiring the next intern cohort to start August 2010

Developing a non-resident program using blended learning

Open program up to other civilian agencies

Development of “feeder” program for wounded veterans

In Learning You Will Teach…And in Teaching You Will Learn!

19

20

Challenges & Solutions

• General

• Strategic Human Capital Planning

• Development and Learning

• Workforce Management & Infrastructure

21

Questions?