Breakout Session # 1006 Rodney C. Cartwright, Chief, Procurement and Contracts

2. Preparing and Educating the New Acquisition Workforce Breakout Session # 1006 Rodney C. Cartwright, Chief, Procurement and Contracts National Gallery of Art, Washington DC Date April 15, 2008 Time 3:20 PM – 4:20 PM

3. Agenda - Purpose of Session - Overview - Challenges of Recruiting New Entry-Level Acquisition Professionals via Traditional Means • Teaching – Another Approach to Traditional Recruiting • Benefits of Teaching - Professional/Personal • Why Most Acquisition Professionals are Already Equipped to Teach • Teaching Qualifications - If Not Teaching – Then Mentor - Summary

4. Session Theme “The Best Achievements are often those that benefit others” Author Unknown

5. Purpose of Session • The purpose of this session is to motivate and encourage current Acquisition professionals to consider teaching in local colleges and universities which will greatly increase the profile of the acquisition profession but will also begin to identify and equip future acquisition professionals. • For those who are not inclined to teach, this session is also designed to promote Acquisition professionals to mentor college students into the acquisition profession.

6. Overview – The Situation • The beginning of the twenty-first century has presented our acquisition workforce with unprecedented challenges. We are more reliant on contracting to support agency missions • Federal acquisition spending has nearly doubled in the last five years. We are increasing the size of the overall acquisition workforce and expanding our intern programs. • However, a significant loss of experience and corporate knowledge is expected as the baby boomer generation retires over the next few years. Although we have increased recruiting, we may experience gaps in the acquisition workforce over the next few years. • As a result, in October 2006, the President signed into law the General Services Administration Modernization Act (P.L. 109-313), which allows Federal agencies to hire retired annuitants to fill critical vacancies in the acquisition field.

7. Challenges of Recruiting Entry-Level Acquisition Professionals via Traditional Means • The Acquisition profession suffers from several critical factors as compared to that of other career fields: • Low profile and lack of knowledge of field compared to other traditional entry level career fields: e.g. sales & marketing, pre-law, accounting, engineering, pre-med, computer science • Lower entry level salaries compared to more traditional career fields • Perception of acquisition as being boring, uneventful, low status, lacking perks that come with other career fields • Perception of federal/civil service jobs as being low paying less rewarding etc.

8. Teaching – Another Approach to Traditional Recruiting Methods • Today’s College and Universities seek Adjunct or Part-Time Instructors to augment faculty positions • Teaching allows Acquisition professionals the ability to influence future acquisition professionals well before career decisions are made • Teaching provides a “grass roots” approach to altering the perception of the acquisition field • Teaching will increase academia’s willingness to grow and enhance acquisition curriculums

9. Benefits of Teaching – Acquisition Professional • Serving as Adjunct Professors allows Acquisition professionals to influence and lobby colleges and universities to add more acquisition courses to their curriculums • Serving as Adjunct Professors allows Acquisition professionals the ability to motivate students –potential future acquisition professionals to join the acquisition workforce • Serving as Adjunct Professors allow Acquisition professionals the ability to integrate acquisition profession w/academic environment thereby increasing the visibility of acquisition field and establishing a myriad of professional/academic programs

10. Benefits of Teaching - Personal • Teaching provides great personal fulfillment – molding/shaping lives • Teaching facilitates tremendous professional growth and knowledge • Teaching provides another avenue to develop and maintain new relationships

11. Most Acquisition Professionals are Already Teachers • Most acquisition professionals have taught or trained in-house staff, co-workers, COTR’s on acquisition related topic • Acquisition professionals interface with a variety of stakeholders with differing expectations, desires and needs • Acquisition professionals utilize the latest verbal and written techniques to convey information • Acquisition professionals frequently speak in front of varied audiences • Acquisition professions frequently research and attend training sessions themselves • YOU ARE ALREADY PROFESSORS!!!!!

12. Typical qualifications to teach at college level • Most colleges and universities prefer at least a Masters degree with some direct or indirect teaching or training experience • For Adjunct positions generally 5-7 years of acquisition work experience is preferable, though this is negotiable • Generally, 3 professional references to confirm your qualifications is required

13. If Not Teaching – Then Mentor • If Teaching is not your forte, consider mentoring • Mentoring of 1 or 2 college students can have a tremendous impact for future of acquisition field • Mentoring greatly facilitates the development of young people • Mentoring brings out not only the best in the person being mentored but also the mentor

14. Summary • Teaching acquisition related courses serves to increase the visibility of the acquisition professional in academic environments • Acquisition professionals taking on adjunct teaching roles serves a long-term, built-in recruitment tool • Teaching is professionally and personally rewarding • Mentoring is another avenue of influence in a young person’s life not only from a acquisition perspective, but also from a life perspective • Teaching is something that most acquisition professionals already perform in their daily work activities