1. NASA Procurement Career Development and Training Policy
GSFC Procurement Forum
April 15, 2008

2. New NASA Policy Reasons for Policy Changes Agency Impacts
1102 Workforce Impacts
Key Roles
Certification Statistics

3. Reasons for Policy Changes
Recent Policy Decision
OFPP Policy Letter 05-01
Developing and Managing the Acquisition Workforce -April 2005
Applicable to acquisition workforce within all civilian agencies
Key components
Established government-wide framework for creating a federal acquisition workforce
Defined agency responsibilities
Mandated that acquisition workforce core competencies be updated
Developed federal acquisition certification programs

4. Reasons for Policy Changes
Federal Acquisition Certification
Common certification programs reflecting a government-wide standard for education, training and experience
Certifications demonstrate that employees meet the core education, training and experience requirements of the field
Certifications to be accepted by all civilian agencies as evidence for meeting the above requirements
Certification is not mandatory
Certification is required for all new CO warrants issued after Jan. 1, 2007

5. Reasons for Policy Changes
Federal Acquisition Certification (cont.)
Education requirements – consistent with GS 1102 Qualification Standard (not the same as the DAWIA requirements for GS )
Training requirements – OFPP directed to establish uniform core training requirements for civilian and defense workforce
Experience requirements - consistent with GS 1102 Qualification Standard
Continuous Learning Requirements – 80 hours of continuous learning points every 2 years to maintain federal acquisition certification

6. Reasons for Policy Changes
Federal Acquisition Certification (cont.)
Applicable Career Fields
Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) – January 2007
Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) – July 2007
Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer Technical Representatives (FAC-COTR) – October 2007

7. Agency Impacts NASA responsibilities as a result of OFPP mandates
Requirement:
Develop and manage an agency-wide acquisition career management program
Action:
Career development and training policy updated to comply with new certification standards
Working to develop implementation procedures for FAC-P/PM and FAC-COTR
Implement and manage Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) program
Revised NASA policy implemented April 2007
Requested NASA Certification equivalency with FAC-C
FAI determined that NASA Level I and II certifications with electives are equivalent to FAC-C certifications

8. NASA 1102 Impacts Education Requirements Effective Jan. 1, 2007
GS 1102 employees at grades 5 – 12 must have a bachelor’s degree or 24 semester hours in business related fields
GS 1102 employees at grades 13 – 15 must have both a bachelor’s degree and the 24 semester hours
The 24 semester hours may be included in or in addition to coursework taken to complete the degree program
What changed?
Qualification Standard for 1102 series changed in 2000
Old policy
NASA determined that individuals with tenure* in their current positions met the new standard
Compliance with the new requirements was necessary for promotions
*Tenure - employees continuously employed in GS-1102 series positions since January 1, 1998

9. NASA 1102 Impacts Training Requirements Level II Level III
Mandatory Core Courses
2 Electives
Level III
CON 353 – Advanced Business Solutions for Mission Support
What changed?
CON 353 or CON 333 requirement for Level III
CON 301 alone does not satisfy requirement for Level III
Electives requirement - Any training opportunity, related to the employee’s job, necessary for career development, or for cross training. An elective must be at least 16 hours in length.

10. NASA 1102 Impacts Experience Requirements
Level II – minimum 2 years experience
Level III – minimum 4 years experience
Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) Requirement
Skills currency training completed after receipt of any level certification
CLPs can be earned through training, professional activities, education, and experience
A minimum of 80 CLPs are required every two years to maintain the certification
What Changed?
Previous policy required 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years – (not rigorously monitored or required for warrants)
CON 301 refresher every 5 years before course was discontinued

11. NASA 1102 Impacts FAC-C Application Process What changed?
Requests are initiated by individual employees through immediate supervisors
Individuals provide necessary documentation to verify that requirements are satisfied
Supervisors assess the skill and competencies of the individuals
Supervisor signs application and forwards to the Center Procurement Training Coordinator with documentation
Center Procurement Training Coordinator ensures that the document package is complete and forwards the application to the Agency Procurement Training Office for review
FAC-C applications are forwarded to the ACM for approval
Certifications are issued by the SPE
What changed?
NASA certifications were prepared by the Headquarters Procurement Training Coordinator for SPE signature upon completion of mandatory courses

12. NASA 1102 Impacts Warrant authority linked to certification levels
Applicable to new warrants – eff. 1/1/07
Certification Level Warrant Authority
Level I $0 - $1M Commercial (Part 12)
$0 - $100K Non-commercial
Level II $0 - $10M Commercial (Part 12)
$0 - $10M Non-commercial
Unlimited incremental funding
Level III Unlimited
(Subject to Center work instructions and Procurement Officer discretion)
What changed?
Warrant authority was not linked to certification level
Center unique policies guided the issuance of warrants

13. NASA 1102 Impacts
Career Advancement
FAC-C Level I required for promotion to GS-9 (or a GS-11 position, if hired as a GS-9)
FAC-C Level II required for promotion to GS-13
FAC-C Level III required for promotion to GS-14 and above
What Changed?
Certification Levels were not previously tied to promotions

14. FAC-C Level II (Intermediate)
FAC-C Levels
FAC-C Level I (Entry)
GS 5 - 7
FAC-C Level II (Intermediate) GS
FAC-C Level III (Advanced)
GS – 13 and above
Mandatory Education: Baccalaureate degree OR 24 semester hours in a business discipline.
Mandatory Education: Baccalaureate degree AND 24 semester hours in a business discipline.
Mandatory Experience: 1 year of contracting experience
Mandatory Experience: 2 years of contracting experience
Mandatory Experience: 4 years of contracting experience
Mandatory Training: CON 100, CON 110, CON 111, CON 112 and CON 120 (or their predecessors, CON 101 and CON 104)
AND 1 elective
Mandatory Training:
NEW for 2008 – CON 214, CON 215, CON 216, CON 217, CON 218
AND 2 electives
CON 353
(or its predecessor CON 333)

15. Key Roles Acquisition Career Manager (ACM)
Leads the acquisition career management program
Procurement Functional Advisor
Responsible for the procurement career development and training program and policy
Works closely with the ACM
Headquarters Analysis Division
Office responsible for establishing career development policy
ACM & Functional Advisor reside in this office
Agency Procurement Training Office
Responsible for all administrative and operational activities of the career development program
Activity resides at NSSC
Center Procurement Training Coordinator
Center training POCs

16. FAC-C Statistics

17. FAC-C Statistics

18. FAC-C Statistics

19. 2007 CON Course Attendance

20. 2007 CON Course Attendance

21. 2007 CON Course Attendance