Your skills and talent as a civilian acquisition professional are greatly needed.

The AL&T Workforce is made up of hundreds of individuals like you who desire to help the Army reach its mission-critical goals through effective acquisition life cycle management of weapons and information systems.

The following will provide you with general information, points of contact, policies, procedures and terminology that are important to your acquisition career development. While many of the steps overlap, they are generally sequentially ordered. (See detailed discussion of these steps and Web links in the Career Management Handbook.)

1. Determine if you are in an Army Acquisition, Logistics & Technology (AL&T) Workforce position. If you are uncertain, your supervisor should be able to tell you if your position is acquisition. Recruitment announcements, position descriptions and position requirements documents should also indicate that a position is acquisition. Commands identify acquisition positions using the USD (ALT) approved refined Packard definition for identifying the AL&T Workforce.
   
   
2. Be aware of how your Acquisition Career Field fits into the workforce. The AL&T Workforce is made up of individuals who perform work throughout the life cycle of a weapon/information system; i.e., cradle-to-grave. The Army participates in 12 functional career fields in the AL&T Workforce:
   
   
   • Program Management
   • Contracting
   • Industrial/Contract Property Management
   • Purchasing
   • Manufacturing, Production and Quality Assurance
   • Business, Cost Estimating and Financial Management
   • Life-Cycle Logistics
   • Information Technology
   • Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering
   • Test and Evaluation
   • Science and Technology Management
   • Facilities Engineering
   
   
   
   A list of Acquisition Career Field Representatives for each career field may be found at http://asc.army.mil/contacts/fieldreps.cfm. (The career field assigned to your position can be found in Section I of your Acquisition Career Record Brief [ACRB], under the "Category" block. See paragraph 4 below for information on ACRBs.)



3. Contact your Acquisition Career Manager (ACM): Upon placement in an acquisition position, your first step should be to contact your ACM who will be able to advise and assist you in planning your career development. Your status and location determine which ACM you should contact. The list of ACMs and contact information may be found here. Note: Human Resource Command (HRC) ACMs support military Army Acquisition Corps members; AAC members; and members of the Competitive Development Group. HRC ACMs may also be found at https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/opfam51/ambmain.htm.
   Regional ACMs support all others. GS-13s and below are supported by the Regional ACMs.



4. Prepare an Acquisition Career Record Brief (ACRB): The fist thing your ACM will have you do is establish an ACRB in the DACM database. The ACRB is an automated, authenticated record of your education, training, and acquisition assignment history. It is your official acquisition record and it is your responsibility to initiate changes and keep it updated.



5. Refer to the Development Model in the Acquisition Career Development Plan (ACDP). This model provides a framework with which to conduct career planning. Request that your ACM and/or supervisor assist you in determining where you are on the model and in planning your career progression strategy. Upon recommendation by your ACM, you may also wish to obtain advice from your Acquisition Career Management Advocate (ACMA). ACMAs are senior civilian AAC members located within organizations with a high concentration of AL&T Workforce employees.



6. Prepare an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is a required document for all members of the AL&T Workforce. It is a 5-year plan that outlines your education, training, and experience goals. Determine and define your career goals and objectives in concrete terms; i.e., where you are in your career (on the ACDP Development Model) and where you want to be both in the short term and the long term. Using guidance provided by your ACM, work with your supervisor and agree on a plan that is consistent with the model and your goals. Document the desired education, training or experience on your IDP and have your supervisor approve.



7. Become Certified in your Acquisition Career Field. (Level one of the ACDP Development Model.) Your first priority is to become certified in your position. (See certification levels under the ACF Position Certification Requirements of the handbook. The certification level required for your position is listed on your ACRB under Section I, the "AAC Certification Level Required" block.) The mark of proficiency in your acquisition career field is attainment of Level III certification in your ACF. The requirements by acquisition career field may be found in the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Catalog, www.dau.mil.If you do not understand any of the requirements, you may contact your ACM for clarification. There are a number of ways to obtain the training necessary to meet the certification training standards:
   • Attend DAU resident/on-site courses
   • Take DAU Distance Learning (Web-based) courses via the Internet
   • Obtain credit for substitute courses
   • Obtain credit through the DOD Fulfillment Program


8. Commence Career-Broadening Activities: (Level two of the ACDP Development Model.) Once you have become Certified Level III in your career field, you should commence career-broadening activities: (Priority should be given to meeting the education requirement for the AAC membership.)
   • Apply for learning opportunities offered in the AETE/ATAP Catalog.
     These opportunities range from leadership development courses to degree completion/master's degree programs. Opportunities are found in the AETE/ATAP Catalog. Ask your ACM about courses coming to your area through the Regional Acquisition, Education, Training and Experience Program.
   • Become certified at least Level II in one or more other career fields.
   • Seek out developmental/on-the-job training opportunities that will provide broadening/cross-training experience.
   • Look into the availability of rotational/developmental assignments in other organizations, such as those offered by the Regional Developmental Acquisition Program.


9. Obtain an individual assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in terms of leadership competencies. An assessment instrument, the Acquisition Leadership Effectiveness Inventory (ALEI), may be found at http://alei.doddacm.com. The ALEI will assist you in planning your leadership development needs, particularly as you become proficient in your acquisition career field (Level I, II, III) and start your broadening experience.



10. Be aware that various boards and competitive development programs will require submission of a Senior Rater Potential Evaluation (SRPE) for
    GS-13, -14, and -15 applicants. The SRPE and its Senior Rater Profile Report complement your annual performance appraisals by providing an assessment of your leadership competencies and potential for advancement to higher levels of responsibility. Along with the ALEI above, the ratings will also assist you with identifying your development needs. This should be taken into consideration when planning your IDP.



11. Apply for the Competitive Development Group/Army Acquisition Fellowship (CDG/AAF) Program. GS-13 (or equivalent) Army Acquisition Corps Members who are already certified in their current position and have at least one Level III certification in any Acquisition Career Field are eligible to apply for the CDG/AAF Program. The program is a three-year leadership developmental training program offering high potential, board-selected personnel with expanded training, developmental assignment, leadership and other career development opportunities.



12. Join the Army Acquisition Corps (AAC). (Level three of the ACDP Development Model.) The AAC is a subset of the Army AL&T Workforce. There are a number of ways an individual may become a member of the AAC. (See "Career Information, AAC Membership section for AAC requirements for qualification.)
    • Meet all the qualifications for AAC membership and be selected for a CAP position (GS-14 or Pay Band IV).
    • Apply for membership at the GS-13 level with CE status and Level III certification in an ACF.
    • Complete the CDG Program. Individuals become members of the AAC upon completion of the program.
    • Be certified through another form such as the U.S. Army Reserves.
    • Transfer certification to the Army from another DOD component.


13. Apply for Acquisition Command and Project Manager positions. (COL/GS-15 or equivalent broad band) and Acquisition Command and Product Manager positions (LTC/GS-14 or equivalent DOD Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project broad band). Best-Qualified Boards are held annually. These are announced on the HRC homepage.



14. Apply for the Senior Service College Program. The Industrial College of the Armed Forces presents the Senior Acquisition Management Course (ACQ 401). This is the preeminent course for members of the Acquisition Corps and, as such, is an important step in your career. The University of Texas presents its equivalent, the Senior Service College Fellowship. Additional information on each course, special requirements and application instructions may be found here. See the "Senior Service College" section under Part III, Educational/Academic in the AETE/ATAP Catalog section.



15. Participate in Continuous Learning (CL) activities. Throughout your career you should participate in continuous learning activities. Once you are certified in the position you encumber, the USD(AT&L) Policy on Continuous Learning for the Acquisition Workforce requires that you complete a minimum of 80 Continuous Learning points every two years. Attainment of CL points is not limited to the traditional classroom setting but may be earned in numerous ways. Work with your supervisor to ensure attainment of CL points is considered when developing your IDP and ensure points earned are captured on your IDP, which is used to document continuous learning. The CL Policy and Army Implementing Instructions may be found on the Policies & Procedures.



16. Apply for the Defense Leadership Management Program (DLAMP). Although DLAMP is not acquisition career specific, the program provides an opportunity for senior Acquisition Corps members to broaden their acquisition career training and gain valuable experience. Information on DLAMP may be found at http://www.cpms.osd.mil/dlamp/.

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