Understanding Defense Industry (UDI)

UDI logo

ELIGIBILITY

Civilian Acquisition Workforce GS-12 through GS-15 or broadband/pay band equivalent.

APPLICATION WINDOW

Application period opens: November 2, 2026
Application period closes: January 31, 2027

COHORT DATES

Session 1: May 2-7, 2027
Session 2: July 24-30, 2027

Program Overview

The Understanding Defense Industry (UDI) course is managed by the Army Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office and conducted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) Kenan-Flagler Business School at their campus in Chapel Hill, NC. The program consists of an intensive one-week engagement with industry representatives and defense industry business concepts. The curriculum includes information on perspectives and views from Capitol Hill, top Army leadership, and defense industry leaders. The curriculum also includes information on the Industrial Base, frameworks for defense analysis with an industry perspective, creating competition, and an overview of defense markets. The program concludes with panels comprised of senior level industry representatives and review and discussion of an acquisition-related, government case study.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Target Audience

Ideal participants are senior-level acquisition professionals who engage with industry on behalf of the government for activities such as contract negotiations and program management. These individuals have demonstrated leadership potential and are seeking to broaden their defense industry understanding. Those working as Contracting Officer leads, Contract Specialists and Cost/Price Analysts with negotiation delegation, Program Managers, and technical subject matter experts who have industry negotiations scheduled within the next year are highly encouraged to participate.

Program Length

One week.

Funding

Temporary Duty (TDY) expenses are paid by the participant’s organization. The course enrollment fee is centrally funded through the DACM Office.

KEY DATES

  • Announcement Opening: November 2, 2026
  • Announcement Closing: January 31, 2027
  • Program Start:
    • Session 1: May 2-7, 2027
    • Session 2: July 24-30, 2027

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must be a permanent tenure civilian member of the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW). Exception: per Section 1109, Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Section 11.A.3.f, 82 Federal Register 43339, eligibility to participate in UDI is extended to flexible length and renewable term technical appointment employees in the Department of War laboratories designated as Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories (STRLs). Term employees not appointed under Section 1109, FY16 NDAA are not eligible for UDI. Tenure status is indicated on the employee’s SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, Block 24.
  • Be coded as 1-Permanent-Tenure or 3-Indefinite-Tenure (STRL) in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System; Tenure 3 (STRL) applicants must have at least 3 years left in term position as outlined on a current Standard Form-50 in block 24.
  • Example:
    Tenure Example     Tenure Example
  • Must be mid-career professionals in the grades of GS-12 through GS-15 (or broadband equivalent) and SES leaders and military leaders from LTC through GO.
  • Must meet DAWIA position certification requirement or be within grace period.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted via 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 “UDI 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 UDI, your supervisor must first submit an email stating that you are an STRL employee appointed under Section 1109, FY16 NDAA to the UDI 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 UDI 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.
  • Statement of Interest:
    Type your statement of interest in this section. In 2,500 characters or less, please describe your reasons for applying to UDI. Clearly articulate your goals, how you interact with industry in your daily Army work, and the benefits Army will gain by your participation.
  • Resume
    Upload your resume into the application in PDF format. Please use 10-pitch Calibri font with a 0.5-inch margin and a maximum of two 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 can find the sample resume at https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/programs/best-practices/.
  • 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 UDI. 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. 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 approve selection.

Program in Action

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Contact

Ms. Rachel Berry
Army UDI Program Manager
Army DACM Office
(520) 718-5080
Email: rachel.h.berry.civ@army.mil