The DoD authorization bill also commonly becomes a vehicle for civilian personnel policy changes in general. Image: Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe House Armed Services Committee has started drafting the annual DoD authorization bill with the intent of including language from a recently introduce bipartisan measure affecting employees involved with acquisition.
Among other provisions, that includes additional emphasis on training of the acquisition workforce; a GAO assessment of the current workforce’s posture, strength, and career development; and an evaluation by DoD of the Defense Acquisition University with a focus on enhancing operations and performance in training and developing the defense acquisition workforce for the future.
Other aspects of the bill address aligning acquisition to warfighter priorities and operational outcomes; accelerating the requirements process; striking a balance between regulation and efficiency; and strengthening the defense industrial base and leveraging commercial innovation.
The draft measure also would extend several long-running special pay and allowance authorities for federal employees working overseas and in zones of military operations; and would waive current restrictions on DoD hiring of military retirees into civilian positions.
The DoD authorization bill also commonly becomes a vehicle for civilian personnel policy changes in general, some affecting only the department’s employees and others applying government-wide; that bill is one of the few annual bills considered to be a “must-pass,” and therefore often attracts numerous other provisions as the process proceeds.
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