Section VI. M&S Operations Acquisition Workforce
(To be updated when the operating guidance and guidebook
for DAWIA II, dated 12 January 2005, is published.)

1. General
   
   
   1. This section outlines implementation guidelines of key Department of Defense (DoD) directives, instructions, and manuals governing the management of the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW). Chapter 87 of Title 10, United States Code, The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA), mandates standard acquisition policy and procedures within all DoD acquisition organizations.
      
      
   2. An outgrowth of DAWIA is a Career Development Program for acquisition personnel designed to enhance the qualifications of personnel performing acquisition-related functions. Its objective is the centralized career management of members of the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC) and selected members of the AAW as well as the centralized selection of the best-qualified persons for Program Executive Officers (PEOs), Program/Project/Product Managers (PMs), and other key acquisition positions. Because the policies and practices of the AAW continue to evolve, M&S careerist personnel who are members of the AAW should monitor the AAW website (see links listed below). .
      
   
   
   
2. Applicability
   
   
   1. This section applies to all DA M&S careerists who hold acquisition positions and to DA M&S interns. Department of the Army M&S careerists are assigned to a significant number of acquisition positions therefore should know the education, experience, and training standards, and the necessary steps for successful career development and advancement as members of the civilian AAW.
      
      
   2. Before graduating from the intern program, M&S interns should have sufficient training and experience to qualify for target acquisition positions.
      
   
   
   
3. Responsibilities
   
   
   1. Within the AAW, incumbents of the positions shown below have been identified as having unique requirements, roles, and responsibilities in the acquisition of the goods and services needed to train, deploy, and sustain Army forces.
      
      
      1. Army Acquisition Executive (AAE). The AAE is designated by the Secretary of the Army to develop and administer acquisition programs and policies and to establish and maintain the AAC. The AAE also establishes and chairs the Acquisition Career Program Board (ACPB) that manages all aspects of career development for employees in the acquisition workforce.
         
         
      2. Director of Acquisition Career Management (DACM). The DACM is appointed by the AAE to assist in the accession, training, education, and career development of the AAW. The DACM serves as the Director of the AAC and directs the Army's implementation of the requirements set forth in the DAWIA. The DACM also identifies and manages Critical Acquisition Positions (CAPs) and provides funding to Corps Eligible (CE) employees who are pursuing advanced training.
         
         
      3. ACPB. The ACPB advises the AAE on managing the accession, training, education, retention, and career development of civilian personnel in the acquisition workforce and in selecting individuals for the AAC. Except for certification, the board reviews and makes recommendations on waivers to any or all of the accession requirements of the AAC.
         
         
      4. Acquisition Career Management Advocates (ACMAs). The ACMAs are appointed by the MACOM, Major Subordinate Command, and Activity Commanders as the senior civilian leaders of the AAC at these commands/activities. The ACMAs serve as principal advisors on acquisition career development policy, procedures, programs, and management. They are the immediate and direct recipients of all information issued by the DACM and ensure that all members of the AAC have equal and timely access to information and opportunities.
         
         
      5. Members of the AAW. Positions throughout the Army are designated either acquisition or non-acquisition. The AAW consists of personnel who encumber acquisition positions and persons who are in acquisition development programs.
         
         
      6. Critical Acquisition Positions (CAPs). All civilian acquisition positions at the grade of GS-14 or higher are designated as CAPs. Only members of the AAC can be appointed to these positions. The DAWIA requires an annual rotational review of personnel who have been incumbents of the same CAP for five or more years. The purpose of this review is to determine whether the government or the incumbent would be better served by his or her reassignment to a different position within the AAC. The Civilian Acquisition Personnel List (CAPL) is the official Army-wide listing of all civilian acquisition positions throughout the Army. It is reviewed annually.
         
         
      7. AAC. Members of the AAC who have met codified (DAWIA) education, experience, and training meet the qualifications of acquisition professionals. The AAC consists of selected military officers in the rank of Major and above and civilian personnel in grades GS-13 and above who have applied for and meet the requirements for membership. The strategic vision of the AAC is to develop ". . . a corps of leaders willing to serve where needed and committed to providing soldier systems critical to decisive victory now and in the 21st Century through development, integration, acquisition, fielding, and sustainment."
         
   
   
   
4. Acquisition Position Categories (APCs) and Acquisition Career Fields (ACFs)

   Acquisition Position Categories and ACFs recognize the diversity of positions and disciplines. The 14 DoD-recognized APCs and 11 DoD-recognized ACFs and related codes are shown in the following table.
   
   

   APCs	Code
   Program Management	A
   Contracting	C
   Industrial Property Management	D
   Purchasing	E
   Manufacturing and Production	G
   Quality Assurance	H
   Business, Cost Estimating, and Financial Management	K
   Acquisition Logistics	L
   Communications-Computer Systems	E
   Systems Planning, Research, Development, and Engineering	S
   Test and Evaluation	T
   Auditing	U
   Program Management Oversight	V
   Education, Training, and Career Development	X

   VI-1
   
   
   
5. Entry into and Membership in the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC)
   
   
   1. Entry into the AAC is governed by the following criteria.
      
      
      1. Membership Requirements. Members of the Army Acquisition Corps will have:
         
         
         1. Attained certification to at least Level 2 or completion of all mandatory ACF training for Level 2 certification in their primary ACF.
         2. Attained the grade of GS-13 or higher.
         3. Accrued four years of acquisition experience.
         4. Executed a mobility agreement (Appendix G) and a written agreement to remain in federal service.
         5. Attained a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution.
         6. Earned at least 24 semester credit hours from an accredited institution of higher education, from among the following disciplines: accounting, business finance, contracts, economics, industrial management, law, marketing, organization management, purchasing, and quantitative methods; or will have met one of the following:
            
            
            1. Have accrued at least 24 semester credit hours in the individual's acquisition career field, from an accredited institution of higher learning, and 12 semester credit hours from among the disciplines listed above.
               
               
            2. Have at least 10 years of acquisition experience as of October 1, 1991 (i.e., the above education requirements do not apply).
               
               
            3. Meets all of the following conditions: Was serving in an acquisition position on October 1, 1991, had less than ten years in an acquisition position as of October 1, 1991, and has 24 semester credit hours in the above-listed disciplines. (Combinations of college credit courses and approved equivalency examinations totaling 24 semester hours may be used, but there is no alternative to the requirement that the 24 hours will be in the stated business-related disciplines.)
         
         
         
      2. Waiver of Membership Requirements. The AACPB may waive any or all of the requirements for an individual if the board certifies that the individual possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. The career level certification requirement may not be waived.
         
         
      3. Accession into the AAC. Accession of civilians into the AAC is by the CE Program or by Out-of-Cycle Assessment. Out-of-Cycle assessment occurs when an individual has been selected for a CAP and the individual's application supports AAC membership. CEs who participate in the Competitive Development Group (CDG) program are accessed into the AAC at the end of the three-year program (see links listed below) for more information on the CE Program. Note that formal acceptance into the CE Program is not a prerequisite for selection to a CAP.
         
         
      4. Continuing Education (CE) Program. The CE Program is designed to reduce the time needed to establish AAC eligibility for those who are selected for a CAP. The streamlined AAC qualifications review process determines which CE applicants already meet the requirements for AAC accession. In addition to a quicker accession process, CEs have unique access to education opportunities beyond those of other potentially eligible persons. Army employees who are not members of the AAC and who have Level 3 certification in their ACF may apply. Existing competitive education opportunities for CE employees include the Acquisition Tuition Assistance Program (ATAP) for a Master's degree, the Advanced Program Management Course (APMC), and the Materiel Acquisition Management (MAM) Course. The ATAP and MAM courses are managed and funded by the Director of Acquisition Career Management. AAW members who meet the AAC qualifications are offered membership in the CE program. Members of the CE program may also apply for the CDG.
         
         
      5. The CDG is a three-year program of training, education, and developmental assignments. Successful completion of the CDG program entails achieving the goals identified in each member's IDP over a three-year period or successfully competing for a promotion into a CAP. CDG members who have successfully completed their IDP objectives, but who have not received a promotion to a CAP, will be accessed into the AAC and laterally reassigned to a position of greater responsibility.
   
   
   
6. Acquisition Civilian Record Brief (ACRB)

   The ACRB is the written instrument used by individuals to record education, training, and experience. When a new level of certification standards has been completed and recorded, the updated ACRB is submitted to the individual's certifying official for approval. Detailed instructions for completing the ACRB may be found at the AAC homepage (see links listed below). Army Acquisition Workforce members, individuals who do not currently occupy acquisition positions, and individuals new to the Army acquisition community should follow instructions at this webpage to generate a new ACRB or update an existing ACRB. AAC members and CDG members should coordinate revisions of their ACRBs with U.S. Total Army Personnel Command Functional Acquisition Specialists (FASs). A complete listing of the FASs identified by functional area can also be found on the AAC homepage (see links listed below).
   
   

7. Certification Program
   
   
   1. Certification for entry into the AAW is a review process during which certifying officials determine whether individuals meet the mandatory standards established for an Acquisition Career Level (ACL) in an ACF. Acquisition personnel must be certified in the (ACL) and ACF that match the ACL and APC of the acquisition positions they occupy. Positions with APCs that lack corresponding ACFs do not have separate education, training, and experience standards. Acquisition personnel occupying such positions must meet the corresponding ACL requirements for their particular ACF. Career level certification applies to the entire acquisition workforce and is governed by DoD 5000.52-M, and DoD Instruction 5000.58.
      
      
   2. The Army certification program requires that individuals assigned to acquisition positions meet the applicable mandatory education, training, and experience standards established in DoD 5000.52-M. Additionally, as they advance in grade and responsibility AAW members should achieve certification in their primary ACF as well as two additional ACFs. Certification ensures that acquisition personnel are qualified in terms of education, experience, and training to perform the duties of their assigned acquisition position/career field. Each APC and ACF is divided into three ACLs for the purpose of establishing education, training, and experience standards.
      
      
   3. Acquisition Career Levels (ACL)
      
      
      1. Level 1 (Basic Level). This is generally for individuals in the grades of GS 05-08. Basic level training standards are designed to establish fundamental qualifications and expertise in the individual's job series/functional area or career field. Development at the basic level lays the foundation for career progression and is designed to prepare qualified, motivated persons for positions of increasing responsibility.
         
         
      2. Level 2 (Intermediate Level). This level is generally for individuals in the grades of GS 09-12. At this level, specialization is emphasized, and individuals should begin to broaden their background toward a more general expertise in the overall processes of the career field. Development of experience in the individual's primary career field should be followed by a lateral movement to a related specialty.
         
         
      3. Level 3 (Senior Level). When an individual reaches the senior levels of acquisition management - grade GS-13 and above - they should have completed the mandatory training and education requirements (or equivalents) of that level. They should have advanced through a career pattern that has given them depth of knowledge in their functional area and breadth of knowledge across the entire acquisition process. In addition, at this level, advanced acquisition education and training are essential.
         
      
      
      
   4. Certification Standards. DAWIA requires that certification standards be associated with all acquisition positions. These standards are delineated in DoD 5000.52-M, Appendices A through G. The education, experience, and training standards for the career level assigned to a position are the standards the incumbent of the position must meet. The specific certification requirements of a position are ascertained by:
      
      
      1. Determining the APC and the corresponding ACF,
         
         
      2. Determining the required ACL, based on position grade,
         
         
      3. Referring to DoD 5000.52-M, and the latest edition of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Catalog at http://www.acq.osd.mil/dau/ and matching the ACF with the ACL acquisition training. Defense Acquisition University (DAU) training courses for ACFs held by most M&S careerists are shown in Figure 5.
         
      
      
      
   5. Certifying Official. Certifying officials are responsible for ensuring that individual M&S careerists meet the qualification standards set forth in Appendix J of the Army's Acquisition Civilian Workforce Certification Handbook and other applicable DoD directives. The DACM monitors the certification process and identifies systematic problem areas. The appropriate level of the certification official for each certification level is listed below:
      
      
      1. Certification Level 1 (GS-5 to 8) - 2d Level Supervisor,
         
         
      2. Certification Level 2 (GS-9 to 12) - 2d Level Supervisor,
         
         
      3. Certification Level 3 (GS-13+) - SES/GO/DACM (The FCR has delegated certification for DA E&S Personnel at Level 3 to the MACOM/ACPM.)
         
      
      
      
   6. Documentation of Certification Action(s). The appropriate certifying official should ensure completion of the certificates. Level 1 and 2 certificates are prepared on DA Form 2442. Level 3 certificates for all ACFs are prepared on AAE Form 02. The certificates should be presented to employees by their supervisor.
      
   
   
   
8. AAC Quality Achievement Factors

   Quality achievement factors are used to determine the best-qualified persons for promotion. These are the training, education, and experience guidelines in the career development model that, when accomplished, will make members of the AAW competitive in filling top acquisition positions. The quality achievement factors for senior acquisition personnel in the following chart.
   
   

   QUALITY ACHIEVEMENT FACTORS

   SES	Senior Service College or Equivalent Cross Command Experiences Cross Functional Experiences HQDA/OSD Experience (Dir. Level) MACOM HQ Experience Supervisory/Director Experience Executive Development Course
   GS-15	Cross Command Experiences Cross Functional Experiences HQDA/OSD Experience Operational Level/Field Experiences Supervisory/Division Experience Executive Development Course
   GS-14	Cross Functional Experiences Cross MACOM/MSC Experiences HQDA/MACOM HQ Experience Operational Level/Field Experiences Leadership/Management Experience Personnel Management for Executives

   VI-2
   
   
   
9. Mobility
   
   
   1. To ensure growth beyond qualification standards established in public law and DoD policy, the further development of acquisition professionals requires specialized training and education, plus a variety of job experiences. Mobility enhances professionalism and career progression opportunities, develops members for senior CAPs, meets organizational and management needs, and improves the overall effectiveness of Army acquisition processes.
      
      
   2. Generally, mobility only becomes a consideration for AAW/AAC members when they apply for centrally selected board positions, certain long-term training programs, and competitive development programs, such as entry into the CDG.
      
      
   3. There are three types of voluntary mobility:
      
      
      1. Functional Mobility. Functional mobility consists of a new assignment within the same commuting area but to a position in (1) another ACF, (2) another functional area within an ACF, or (3) a subspecialty within a functional area or ACF.
         
         
      2. Organization Mobility. Organizational mobility refers to a new assignment within the same commuting area to a different office or command level.
         
         
      3. Geographic Mobility. Relocation outside the commuting area. Voluntary mobility of all three types is desirable, and encouraged, and is considered career enhancing. Due to fiscal constraints, geographical mobility may be limited. Execution of a voluntary mobility agreement is a condition for membership in the AAC.
      
      
      
   4. Involuntary mobility is the least preferred alternative for the individual and the organization.
   
   
   
10. Continuous Learning Policy
    
    
    1. In a January 1998 memorandum, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology proposed that members of the acquisition workforce who have completed certification requirements for the positions they occupy be required to earn a minimum of 80 Continuous Learning Points every two years beginning in FY 1998.
       
       
    2. Learning Points are accumulated through appropriate developmental activities listed in Attachment 1 (Guidelines for Crediting Continuous Learning Activities), of the USD(A&T) Memo, 15 Dec 1998, subject: Reform through Learning: Policy on Continuous Learning for the Defense Acquisition Workforce. View full document at this website: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/Docs/contlear.pdf
       
       
    3. 3. By Memorandum to Acquisition Career Management Advocates, Subject: Continuous Learning Policy for the Department of Defense Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Workforce (DoD AT&LWF), dated September 13, 2002, the Deputy Director, Acquisition Career Management published revised procedures and standards for acquisition careerists. The standard is as follows:

       "Members of the DoD AT&LWF shall acquire a minimum of 40 continuous learning points (CLP) every fiscal year as a goal, and 80 CLP's being mandatory within two years. Members may count certification training towards CLP."

       View this document and the accompanying CL Implementation Guide at the following website: http://akss.dau.mil/jsp/AtlProfContinuousTraining.jsp.

    
    
    
11. Army Acquisition-Specific Terms

    Because of the unique sensitivity and responsibility of Army acquisition activities, the following specific definitions are provided for use by persons who are in key acquisition positions, or persons who aspire to those positions.

    1. Army Acquisition Workforce. The Army Acquisition Workforce is the personnel component of the acquisition system and includes permanent civilian and military members who occupy acquisition positions or who are in acquisition development programs.
       
       
    2. Army Acquisition Corps. The Army Acquisition Corps is a subset of the AAW. It is composed of qualified civilians in the grade of GS-13 and above and military personnel from various functional areas. M&S careerists may apply for the AAC and follow a career path leading to positions such as Program Manager (PM) or Program Executive Office (PEO). The AAC develops a dedicated pool of highly qualified acquisition specialists to fill designated critical acquisition management positions at levels GS-14 and above.
       
       
    3. Acquisition Positions. These are designated civilian and military positions that are in the DoD Acquisition System, have acquisition duties, and fall in an acquisition position category established by DoD Instruction 5000.58.
       
       
    4. Acquisition Civilian Record Brief. The Acquisition Civilian Records Brief is a "paper" display of personal and position acquisition data for civilians in the Army Acquisition Workforce and the Army Acquisition Corps.
       
       
    5. Certification. This is a process through which it is determined that an individual meets all the education, training, and experience standards established for a given acquisition position.
       
       
    6. Critical Acquisition Position. These are senior acquisition positions carrying significant responsibility involving supervisory or management duties required to be filled by individuals in the grade GS/GM-14 or O-5 and above.
       
       
    7. Developmental Acquisition Position. This position is designed and used to provide a period of supervised acquisition experience or training. Such positions may be at any grade level; if a developmental position is a critical acquisition position, then assignment of a person who is not a member of the Army Acquisition Corps requires a waiver.
    
    
    
12. Army Acquisition-Specific References (Will be updated when new guidance is published.)
    
    
    1. Chapter 87, Title 10 USC, Defense Acquisition Workforce (DAWIA), as amended through 31 December 1996.
       
       
    2. DoD Directive 5000.52, Defense Acquisition Education, Training, and Career Development Program, October 25, 1991.
       
       
    3. DoD Directive 5000.52-M, Acquisition Career Development Program, November 22, 1995.
       
       
    4. DoD Instruction 5000.55, Reporting Management Information on DoD Military and Civilian Acquisition Personnel and Positions, November 1, 1991.
       
       
    5. DoD Directive 5000.58, Defense Acquisition Workforce, January 14, 1992.
       
       
    6. Army Acquisition Corps/Army Acquisition Workforce Civilian Training Opportunities Catalog.
       
       
    7. Army Acquisition Corps Homepage .
       
       
    8. ADS-98-01-CG, Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Catalog for Fiscal Year 1998, Volume VI.
       
       
    9. AR 70-1, Army Acquisition Policy.
       
       
    10. DoD Directive 5134.1, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, June 8, 1994.
        
        
    11. DoD ADS-97-03-GD, Acquisition Career Management Mandatory Course Fulfillment Program and Competency Standards, January 1997.
        
        
    12. Defense Acquisition University Homepage http://www.acq.osd.mil/dau/.
        
        
    13. Army Civilian Personnel On-line Website http://cpol.army.mil.