Air Force Operational Contracting Knowledge Assessment: analyzing explicit and tacit contracting knowledge

Abstract

The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) establishes education and training standards for acquisition personnel. These standards culminate into ascending levels of certification for acquisition professionals based on education, training, and experience. While the intent of DAWIA certification is to ensure acquisition professionals possess the requisite knowledge and experience to perform their duties, currently no method exists to effectively measure an individual's contracting knowledge. The Air Force Operational Contracting Knowledge Assessment (OCKA-AF) attempts to accurately assess an individual's tacit (experiential) and explicit (factual) operational contracting knowledge across the six phases of the contracting process. The assessment tool also identifies knowledge gaps between tacit and explicit knowledge. The OCKA-AF was deployed in the form of a web-based survey to two Air Force operational contracting squadrons and Air Force contracting students attending the Naval Postgraduate School. The survey results were analyzed, upon which recommendations were made to reduce existing tacit and explicit contracting knowledge gaps. Due to its knowledge assessment capability, the OCKA-AF may be beneficial to supervisors and senior contracting leadership in determining whether current training efforts are producing the desired results in knowledge capture or provide insight into areas requiring further training emphasis.