BACK TO BASICS – WHERE ARE WE NOW?
We will soon be six months into implementation of Back-to-Basics, marking it time to provide a quick update on the progress of the transition. The good news is, for the most part, implementation is complete. Acquisition workforce members have been recoded into new positions based on the Back-to-Basics framework and have received their transitioned certifications. Credentials are live on the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) website and we have even started to see members of our contracting functional area pass their certification exam. Additionally, civilian position descriptions and position requirements descriptions were recently updated.
With all that we have accomplished as a workforce, there are still a few tasks happening in the background. We are working closely with the Army Civilian Human Resources Agency to execute updates to the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System, occupational series/command crosswalk for eligible acquisition codes based on occupational series and command, and subsequently updates to the AUTONOA system. Until these changes are complete, on or about late September, we anticipate some position errors may occur as they relate to acquisition functional areas or acquisition career levels. Occasionally, this results in inadvertent position coding misalignments.
Rest assured, we are aware of these issues and work daily to find and correct errors without any disruption to the force. We recommend routinely checking your Acquisition Career Record Brief (ACRB) to verify that your acquisition position coding is correct. If you notice an error or have general questions, feel free to reach out. The best way to reach resolution is with a supervisor first, then your organization acquisition point of contact, and then finally through the “Ask and ACM” function in the Career Acquisition Management Portal. We will be sure to provide an answer to your questions as soon as possible. We truly appreciate the united effort to make this transition so successful to this point.
AWARDS
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS – 2022 MAJOR GENERAL HAROLD J. “HARRY” GREENE AWARDS FOR ACQUISITION WRITING
Submissions are now being accepted for the ninth annual competition of the Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for acquisition writing.
The 2022 Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for acquisition writing provide a platform for critical thinking and writing about how the Army can best deliver capabilities to Soldiers – both now and in the future. The competition is open to any author (both DOD and non-DOD personnel are eligible) writing about U.S. Army Acquisition. Authors should share ideas, expertise, experiences and solutions by submitting an essay in one of the following categories: Acquisition Reform, Future Operations, Innovation and Lessons Learned.
Submissions will be accepted through Sept. 30. The winners of the writing competition will be honored at the U.S. Army Acquisition Executive’s Excellence in Leadership awards ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C., in December. The winning entries will also be published in the spring 2023 edition of Army AL&T magazine.
For more information, go to: https://www.army.mil/article/258056/army_writing_competition_focused_on_improving_army_acquisition_process.
ACQUISITION EDUCATION, TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
APPLICATION WINDOW EXTENDED FOR THE ACQUISITION TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ATAP)
Great news! The application window for ATAP has been extended to Aug. 12. ATAP is designed to fund individual business college courses or business college courses required for a master’s or bachelor’s degree in a business/acquisition discipline to eligible Army Acquisition Workforce members. The ATAP is a fiscal year (Oct.-Sept.) program that provides tuition, laboratory and technology fees, within limits, to civilians, military occupational specialty (MOS) 51 contracting (51C) noncommissioned officers and flexible length and renewable term technical appointment employees in DOD laboratories designated as Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories. Remember, whether you seek funding toward a full bachelor’s or master’s degree, or you’d like to take only one or two courses at a time, ATAP now funds full degree programs or individual college courses. Please note that individual college courses will not be funded through the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account (DAWDA). ATAP is the place to go for central funding.
DOD PUBLIC-PRIVATE TALENT EXCHANGE FY23 OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS
The DOD Public-Private Talent Exchange (PPTE) program is open for applications through Aug. 15. PPTE gives civilian government employees the opportunity to work with an industry partner for up to six months. The program enables participants to gain a better understanding of industry’s business operations and challenges and facilitates the sharing of innovative best practices.
For more information, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/programs/dod-ppte.
DAU NEWS
NEW CONTRACTING TRAINING OPPORTUNITY – “CON 0810 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY”
This new enterprise-level course provides a broad understanding of contractor personnel accountability requirements as well as the importance of considering accountability requirements early in the operational planning process. The target audience includes DOD acquisition and non-acquisition professionals, especially contracting officers, contracting specialists, contracting officer’s representatives, or requirement owners in a contingency or operational setting.
The course also provides an introduction to the Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker – Enterprise Suite (SPOT-ES), the DOD system for tracking contractor personnel accountability in operational environments. This course provides students with easy-to-follow self-paced instruction and engaging exercises to apply new knowledge and skills in the workplace. There are no prerequisites, and the course is recommended for any level, grade and rank.
To apply, go to https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=12807.
WATCH A VIDEO OR TWO – DAU’S SERIES OF LIVE WEB EVENTS
Keep current on the issues that matter to defense acquisition professionals, including defense strategy priorities, policy guidance, innovation, leadership and many other topics. These virtual events are opportunities for you to engage directly with senior leaders, acquisition experts, industry leaders and DAU faculty while earning Continuous Learning Points. If you miss the chance to watch a live event, rest assured you can always watch past recorded events. Some examples of topics include Adaptive Acquisition Framework, Contracting Law, Systems Engineering Modernization, Digital Readiness and more!
Peruse the collection of upcoming and past events here, go to https://www.dau.edu/events.
CAREER MANAGEMENT
UPDATING YOUR ARMY.MIL EMAIL ADDRESS WITH CAMP/CAPPMIS
If you have transitioned to and are receiving emails to your army.mil email address, please ensure your email address is current on your Acquisition Career Record Brief (ACRB) within the Career Acquisition Personnel and Position Management Information System (CAPPMIS).
To access and edit your email address through the CAMP/CAPPMIS portal go to https://apps.asc.army.mil/camp. Once you log-in to the system, click the “Change Email Address” link on the right-hand side, fill out the form and press “Submit Request.”
For more answers to acquisition career-related questions, go to our FAQ page at: https://asc.army.mil/web/all-faqs.
MANAGING YOUR ACQUISITION CAREER
You are your own best career manager; to help you achieve your goals, use the DACM Office Program Timeline resource. Whether it’s obtaining a degree, paying off a student loan, learning team and leadership skills or broadening your experience with a developmental opportunity, there’s something for everyone. Check out all the upcoming programs here, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/career-development/programs/program-timeline.
