Army Acquisition and Contracting Personnel requirements: how are the Army's current recruitment, development and retention programs meeting current and future personnel requirements?

Abstract

The Defense (DoD) is realizing a current and expected future shortage in experienced acquisition and contracting personnel due, in part, to a hiring freeze in the middle 1990s and the number of personnel that are eligible to retire in the next five years. This Joint Applied Project (JAP) will focus on the Army's current acquisition and contracting personnel recruitment programs, personnel development programs and personnel retention programs within the Army Contracting Command (ACC), its major Centers and two subordinate commands, the Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) and the Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC). The JAP provides historical background plus information regarding current acquisition and contracting personnel recruitment programs, personnel development programs and personnel retention programs. To understand the current recruitment programs, personnel development programs and personnel retention programs considered by ACC, the following research questions are addressed: What are the recruitment program implementation differences among the organizations within ACC? What are the major differences in training programs among the organizations within ACC? What major retention programs are utilized among the organizations within ACC? What key acquisition personnel shortages exist within ACC? Information was gathered through the review of various sources including Government laws, National Defense Authorization Bills, Government policy letters and reports. In addition, data was collected through a survey questionnaire to ACC' major Centers and two subordinate commands (MICC and ECC). The JAP provides an additional reference tool for ACC when addressing recruitment, development and retention strategies in updating and expanding the Human Capital Strategic Plan (HCSP).