President Obama has approved as part of the newly signed fiscal 2012 defense spending bill language designed to bolster the Federal Acquisition Institute by solidifying the FAI’s role in developing a civilian acquisition workforce.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., introduced the language and said proper training for acquisition professionals is central to saving money and avoiding waste, fraud and abuse.
The bill allows the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to request and receive from GSA enough resources and authority for the institute to support government-wide acquisition workforce training standards and certification requirements.
The bill also directs the OFPP administrator, through FAI, to provide and update government-wide training standards and certification requirements, and requires all federal civilian agency acquisition internship or acquisition training programs to follow standard guidelines provided by OFPP.
