Moratorium on Acquisition Staff Cuts Proposed

The Senate DoD authorization bill also would place a three-year moratorium on further cuts in the DoD acquisition work force unless DoD certifies that any redeuction would not negatively affect its ability to carry out its mission. That work force has been cut roughly in half over the last 12 years, in part due to pressure from Congress in the annual DoD budget measures. The Senate Armed Services Committee noted that as a result of job cuts and hiring restrictions, the acquisition work force is on average older, with more years of service and closer to retirement eligibility. “The committee believes that no further cuts should be made until the department is prepared to address shortcomings in the acquisition workforce on a comprehensive basis,” the panel’s report says. The General Accounting Office recently reported that much work remains to be done in reforming that work force, which despite years of cuts still numbers around 100,000, including some military personnel.