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Developing the Federal Acquisition Workforce

Developing the Federal Acquisition Workforce. Melissa Starinsky, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chancellor, VA Acquisition Academy. The State of Federal Acquisition. Acquisition: Still Mission Critical. $321B Spent in FY ‘14! VA – 4 th largest spend at $15B.

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Developing the Federal Acquisition Workforce

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  1. Developing the Federal Acquisition Workforce Melissa Starinsky, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chancellor, VA Acquisition Academy

  2. The State of Federal Acquisition

  3. Acquisition: Still Mission Critical • $321B Spent in FY ‘14! • VA – 4th largest spend at $15B

  4. A New Talent Development Approach Needed “…despite policy directives, proclamations, and legislative initiatives – including nearly $2B in acquisition workforce development funds spent by the Department of Defense (DoD) alone since 2007 – the skills and capabilities of the workforce have not improved and key skill gaps (negotiations, business risk/acumen, understanding complex IT) remain largely unaddressed.” Source: 2013 PSC Leadership Commission

  5. The VA Acquisition Academy • Opened in 2008; five (5) Schools • State of the art 80,000 square foot facility, 16 classrooms, 7 breakout rooms, 3 distance learning labs • Recipient of 23 awards for innovative and effective acquisition talent development efforts • Contributed toward issuance of 10,502 VA Federal Acquisition Certifications

  6. The VA Mission Through better acquisitions, we can serve our Veterans better.

  7. A Veterans Centric Approach Team Stand of Inaugural Warriors to Workforce (W2W) Program Interns VA’s Next Generation of Trusted Acquisition Business Advisors

  8. Spectrum of Learning Solutionsto Build Pipeline of Qualified Workers( Right Person, Right Job, Right Time) Acquisition Corps Work Workforce Cohorts, Partnerships, Interdisciplinary OTJ Experiences Internship Program, Fellows Program, Educational CO-OP, Education w/Industry, Team Workshops, Mission-Service OJT Strategic Selected In Partnership with VALU, in Context of Acquisition Talent Development Continuum Lean Six Sigma, Critical Thinking, Agility… Performance Interventions Senior Electives and JIT Aligned to Career Progression Organizing, Managing Others, Measuring… Performance Interventions Mid Operational Qualified Self Management, Listening, Planning, Negotiating, Conflict Management… Entry 3 3 Core Professional Curricula & Certifications FAC-C FAC-P/PM 2 2 FAC-C FAC-P/PM Tactical Certified 1 1 FAC-C FAC-COR FAC-P/PM VA SCM VA FM Acquisition Workforce (~ 44,000 Workers)

  9. Melissa’s Top 10 Tangible Techniques #10: Debriefings

  10. Debriefings Available (if offeror requests in a timely manner) under: • FAR Part 15 procurements • IDIQ orders over $5M Not required for: • FAR Part 8 buys (i.e. GSA) only require Contracting Officer (CO) to provide a brief explanation, when requested by offeror, of basis for award when based on factors other than price alone • Simplified Acquisition Procedures Intent should be to provide feedback to unsuccessful offerors to enable them to provide better proposals in the future Can take any form from written, in-person, or by phone – requires CO judgment on appropriate form Recommend successful offerors request debriefings

  11. Pre-Award Debriefings If exercised by written request, within 3 days after notification of exclusion from competitive range or otherwise excluded Offeror can request or CO can defer actual debriefing until after award but offerors only entitled to one debriefing Must include: • agency’s evaluation of significant elements in the offeror’s proposal • summary of the rationale for eliminating the offeror from the competition; and • Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed in the process of eliminating the offeror from the competition. Preawarddebriefings shall not disclose: the number of offerors; identity of other offerors; content of other offerors’ proposals; ranking of other offerors; evaluation of other offerors; or any of the information prohibited in 15.506(e).

  12. Post-Award Debriefings If exercised, by written request from the offeror, within 3 days after notification of award Government should provide within 5 days after receipt of the written request An offerorthat was notified of exclusion from the competition but failed to submit a timely request, is not entitled to a debriefing. Untimely debriefing requests may be accommodated - does not automatically extend the deadlines for filing protests

  13. Post Award Debriefings Must Include The Government’s evaluation of the significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the offeror’s proposal, if applicable; The overall evaluated cost or price (including unit prices) and technical rating, if applicable, of the successful offeror and the debriefed offeror, and past performance information on the debriefed offeror; The overall ranking of all offerors, when any ranking was developed by the agency during the source selection; A summary of the rationale for award; For acquisitions of commercial items, the make and model of the item to be delivered by the successful offeror; and Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed.

  14. Debriefings Shall Not Include Point-by-point comparisons of the debriefed offeror’s proposal with those of other offerors. Any information prohibited from disclosure or exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act Trade secrets Privileged or confidential manufacturing processes and techniques Commercial and financial information that is privileged or confidential, including cost breakdowns, profit, indirect cost rates, and similar information The names of individuals providing reference information about an offeror’s past performance

  15. Melissa’s Top 10 Tangible Techniques #7: Final Proposal Revisions A tracked-changes version of Final Proposal Revisions (FPR) is not necessary and creates increased burden on both contractors and Government Instead rely on answers to discussion questions Proposals should not be incorporated by reference or in full The contractor is bound by contract terms and conditions – not their technical proposal Let the contract or order reflect agreed upon terms verses repeated revised proposals

  16. Trust Trust in the system and in each other Assume positive intent Trust increases operational efficiencies and minimizes programmatic risks Ensure separation of duties internally and maintain arms length relationship with contractors but be accessible and talk with each other Less email and more conversation Eliminate the “us versus them” mindset Stop the blame game – we own it together

  17. Tips for Proposal Writers Proposal Substance • Make sure to properly identify agency in proposal • Tell a good story and write well • Unified corporate proposal – a single brand Know Your Agency • Read agency strategic plan • Know agency budget • Read GAO/IG reports about agency

  18. Contact Information VA Acquisition Academy http://www.acquisitionacademy.va.gov/ Melissa.starinsky@va.gov (240) 215-0671

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