Improving the federal acquisition workforce has been a major emphasis in recent years and there are some signs of progress but there still is much to be done, according to a survey of federal acquisition leaders that included senior acquisition executives, front-line contracting professionals and others involved with the issue.
Over 40 percent of those interviewed in a report by the Professional Services Council stated that overall acquisition workforce capability had improved, while almost 30 percent reported it stayed the same.
“Competencies identified as inadequate for mission needs included negotiation skills and the ability to understand business risk. Acquisition workforce development has been a key focus area over the last decade. The continued lack of noticeable, broad-based improvement should raise concerns with the current approach to acquisition training and development,” the report said.
For example, half of acquisition leaders rated the selection of correct contract structures, techniques and strategies as extremely important, yet only five percent rated the workforce as highly competent in those skills. Similarly, while 55 percent ranked having complex IT skills as extremely important, only 10 percent ranked the workforce as highly competent in that area.
Negotiating skills, general business acumen and inability to innovate within a highly structured environment also are areas of concern.
“The skills gaps all come together at one stark data point: a significant portion of federal acquisition leaders listed their workforce’s skills as the most significant inhibitor to their agency’s ability to obtain innovative solutions—more than any other single factor,” it said.
