DESCRIPTION
The PPTE program provides selected DoW acquisition workforce employees the opportunity to complete a professional assignment with industry by serving for six months with a private sector organization. PPTE promotes increased communication between government and industry, enables participants to gain a better understanding of industry’s business operations and challenges, and facilitates the sharing of innovative best practices.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Must be a US Citizen with an active Secret Clearance.
- Must be a permanent tenure Civilian member of the Army Acquisition Workforce. Exception: per Section 1109, FY16 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Section 11.A.3.f, 82 Federal Register 43339, eligibility to participate in PPTE is extended to flexible length and renewable term technical appointment employees in the Department of Defense laboratories designated as Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories (STRLs). Term employees not appointed under Section 1109, FY16 NDAA are not eligible for PPTE. Tenure status is indicated on the employee’s SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, Block 24.
- Must be mid-career professional in the grades of GS-12 through GS-15 (or broadband equivalent); 10 to 15 years of acquisition experience preferred.
- Must meet DAWIA position certification requirement or be within grace period.
- Annual base salary not to exceed $176,000.
KEY DATES
- Announcement Opening: July 13, 2026
- Announcement Closing: September 11, 2026
- Program Start: April 2027
PROGRAM DETAILS
Target Audience
Selected participants will be individuals with high documented leadership potential who are seeking to broaden their career through hands-on experience with private industry partners gaining insight into their priorities, strategies, and operations through a six-month resident and/or remote assignment. Participants must have knowledge, skills, and abilities to be considered a subject matter expert in their respective career fields.
Opportunities with Industry
The WarU Human Capital Initiatives (HCI) Office arranges the private sector organizations that will host DoW participants. HCI also obtains position descriptions for the various work assignments that the participants might perform. Participating industry partners for any given year cannot be guaranteed, but participants in past years have included Accenture, Amazon, Ball Aerospace, Boeing, The Dcode Group, Deloitte, General Atomics, National Defense Industrial Association, Raytheon, National Industries for the Blind, SAP NS2, SAP Public Services, and Sterling Foods.
Types of Assignments
Assignments will be of an acquisition nature. All acquisition functional areas are eligible to apply.
Program Length
The length of the typical PPTE assignment is six months. Assignments may be shorter to accommodate the needs of the participant’s home organization. PPTE FY27 is scheduled to kick off April. Those participating for six months will wrap up their PPTE experience on or about October 2027.
Funding
The salary of DoW participants is paid by their respective home organizations. PPTE is not centrally funded so efforts will be made to match selectees with industry hosts who are located in the same geographic area. Companies that offer a virtual or telework arrangement may be suitable for selectees who are not in proximity to the host site. Any costs related to participation in the program, including but not limited to travel, TDY, and per diem, must be funded by the home organization or the host industry partner.
WHERE TO APPLY
The application process is located online in the Army Acquisition Professional Development System (AAPDS). To access AAPDS:
- Log into the Career Acquisition Management Portal (CAMP) at https://apps.asc.army.mil/camp/
- Click on the “CAPPMIS” button
- Once in CAPPMIS, click the “AAPDS” tab
- Click on “Apply”
- Find “DoW PPTE FY27” in the list and click the associated “Apply” link in the rightmost column
Before beginning the application, individuals should read the information on this page under “DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION.” In AAPDS, follow the instructions within each section and click the “Submit Application” button when you have completed your application. If you would like to save your work and return to your application later, click the “Save” button.
Note for flexible length and renewable term AAW employees of Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories (STRLs): In order to apply for PPTE, your supervisor must first submit an email stating that you are an STRL employee appointed under Section 1109, FY16 NDAA to the PPTE program manager (contact info at bottom of this page). You will not be able to start your application in CAPPMIS until the program manager has received and responded to the email. STRL employees must meet all other PPTE eligibility requirements.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION
The following documents and information must be accurate and submitted in AAPDS.
- Verification of Applicant/Supervisor Data
Validate your email address and your supervisor’s information; check the boxes if your email address and supervisor’s information is correct. - Acquisition Career Record Brief (ACRB)
Ensure that your ACRB is updated and correct prior to submitting your application. Confirm that your ACRB is accurate by checking the provided box. Applicants may update and correct specific fields of their ACRB using the edit functions within CAPPMIS. For areas in the ACRB that cannot be changed by the applicant, please request assistance from the USAASC Help Desk by clicking “Help Request” within CAMP/CAPPMIS and submitting an online request. - FY27 PPTE Participant Application:
Please complete this fillable PDF and upload into AAPDS. The FY27 PPTE Participant Application be viewed at https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/FY27-PPTE-Application.pdf. - Resume
Upload your resume into the application in PDF format. Please use 12 point Times New Roman with a 1-inch margin and a maximum of 3 pages. Be sure to address positions that highlight your leadership capabilities. Applicants should emphasize accomplishments, qualities, and strengths rather than list responsibilities. Ensure experience descriptions and dates match those in the ACRB. You must use the provided sample resume as a template for your own. You will find the sample resume at https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Resume-Template.pdf. - Senior Rater Potential Evaluation (SRPE)
Ensure that your most recent SRPE is in the system. Your most recent SRPE should have an end date NO EARLIER THAN Sept. 30, 2025. All available SRPEs will be submitted to the board for review. Failure to have a valid, current completed/finalized SRPE in CAPPMIS at the time of the announcement closing will result in the applicant being declared ineligible and the application will not be provided to the board for consideration. If you do not have a current SRPE, you should engage with your supervisor to ensure that a SRPE is complete/finalized in time to apply for PPTE. For more information about the SRPE, log into CAMP (https://apps.asc.army.mil/camp/), click on CAPPMIS, and then click on the SRPE tab. - Command Endorsement Memorandum
You must submit a memorandum signed by at least the first General Officer / Senior Executive Service level in your chain-of-command. In addition to endorsing the applicant, the memorandum must include a statement that the Command is aware that if you are selected to participate in PPTE, you will be in the program and unavailable for regular duties for a maximum of six months. Must be in PDF format and must not exceed one page. For a Command Endorsement Memorandum template, CLICK HERE. A Command Endorsement Memorandum that does not contain the required information or exceeds one page will not be accepted.
SELECTION PROCESS
The Army DACM Office will administer a Board to review and rate Army applications, creating an Order of Merit List (OML). The DACM will select the best qualified applicants from the OML and recommend them to DoW for further review and potential matching with available opportunities. Final selection and approval is by DoW.
IF YOU ARE SELECTED AND MATCHED WITH A COMPANY, THESE DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED BEFORE YOUR ASSIGNMENT BEGINS:
- Commander EndorsementPer policy requirements, selected and matched participants must receive a commander endorsement prior to beginning assignment which may be in addition to the command endorsement as submitted as part of the application. Additional instructions will be provided for participants after match is confirmed.
- Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)The DOD component, the private-sector organization, and the participant must complete a written MOA which describes the rights and responsibilities of the parties as well as other terms of the assignment. Should the applicant be matched with a company for a PPTE assignment with industry, the MOA will be executed at that time. The MOA can be viewed here.
- Conflict of Interest StatementGovernment civilian verifies that he/she does not have a conflict of interest with the company to whom they will be assigned under the PPTE DE program. The Conflict of Interest Statement can be viewed at https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Conflict-of-Interest-Statement.pdf
- Financial Disclosure ReportParticipants must complete a financial disclosure report. Should the applicant be matched with a company for a PPTE assignment with industry, the form will be submitted at that time. The report can be found at https://www.oge.gov/web/OGE.nsf/0/2026049D943E0C34852585B6005A23CE/$FILE/OGE%20Form%20450%20Confidential%20Financial%20Disclosure%20Report.pdf?open
CONTACT
Ms. Rachel Berry
Army Acquisition PPTE Program Manager
Army DACM Office
(520) 718-5080
rachel.h.berry.civ@army.mil
Read about the DoW PPTE program and Army Acquisition Workforce experiences:
