Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2006-01

SUBJECT: Department of the Interior

1. Purpose:

This policy release establishes Departmentwide policy on and transmits a copy of Office of Federal Procurement Policy Letter 05-01 Developing and Managing the Acquisition Workforce.

2. Effective Date:

Immediately. October 18, 2005

3. Expiration Date:

No expiration unless superseded or canceled.

4. Background and Explanation:

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) issued Policy Letter 05-01, Developing and Managing the Acquisition Workforce, effective April 15, 2005. This Policy Letter emphasizes the importance for the Federal acquisition workforce and establishes new training and development requirements. Policy Letter 05-01, which replaces Letters 92-3 and 97-01, was created to improve the governmentwide acquisition workforce by closely aligning the Department of Defense (DoD) and civilian agency requirements for education, training, and experience for advancement in the acquisition career field. The Policy Letter applies to all executive agencies, with the exception of those agencies subject to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA).

The principle purposes of the policy letter are to:

• Define the acquisition workforce to include additional acquisition-related functions
• Align civilian (non-Department of Defense) and defense acquisition workforce training requirements
• Raising the requirement for continuous learning for GS-1102s from 40 hours to 80 hours every two years
• Requiring that Contracting Officer Representatives and Contracting Officer Technical Representatives receive 40 hours of continuous learning hours every two years
• Establishing a federal acquisition certification program and recommendations for a federal certification program for program and project managers
• Expanding the responsibilities of agency acquisition career managers

5. Policy:

The Department of the Interior (DOI) will fully support and implement OFPP Policy Letter 05-01 and effective immediately:

• DOI acquisition employees will follow the training requirements established by DoD, in consultation with OFPP. Employees are not required to retake classes, but shall follow the DoD training requirements when considering additional core training or continuous learning and follow the DoD course equivalency determinations to ensure that core training qualifies for certification.
• Gayle Fischetti, Office of Acquisition and Property Management Procurement Analyst will be the Acquisition Career Manager for DOI.

6. Action Required:

• Bureau Procurement Chiefs will provide a copy of this policy to all acquisition personnel in their bureaus.
• The Office of Acquisition and Property Management and the Bureau Procurement Chiefs will systematically review and revise the following documents:
i. Contracting Officers Warrant System
ii. Certification Program for Contracting Officer’s Representatives
iii. GS-1102 Contracting Series Qualification Standard Waiver Process
• Additional policy releases will be issued to address and incorporate forthcoming certification programs and implementation guidance from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and Federal Acquisition Institute.

7. Additional Information:

If you have any questions concerning this policy, please contact Gayle Fischetti on 202-208-6705.