ANALYSIS OF ARMY CONTRACTING WORKFORCE COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT

The primary purpose of this research is to assess the competencies of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command Field Directorate Office-Fort Sam Houston (MICC FDO-FSH) and Army Contracting Command-Orlando (ACC-ORL) contracting management workforce. Data was gathered through a Contracting Workforce Competency Assessment, based on the newly adopted National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) Contract Management Standard (CMS). This research answers the four questions based on the assessment results. The research findings indicate buyer task proficiency ratings higher than seller task knowledge ratings. The findings also show that the buyer pre-award process is the highest average rating for both organizations. This analysis will establish a baseline and provide insight for decision makers on where to focus the redesign of training and education and will serve as a benchmark for how the current workforce will perform under the NCMA CMS. Recommendations for maintaining and improving contract management competencies include education, training, and initiatives focused on the NCMA CMS guiding principles for buyer and seller tasks and education, and on training on competencies to improve the organizations' ability to manage disagreements and provide resources for obtaining the Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) certification and for incorporating the CPCM certificate as an equivalent training for those with industry experience.Outstanding ThesisCivilian, Department of the ArmyCivilian, Department of the ArmyCivilian, Department of the ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited