Jump to content

A "TOP GUN" School for Contracting Officers?


The_Intern

Recommended Posts

I'm looking for a school which selects only the best Government contract managers, makes them even better through 4-6 months of rigorous training, and ultimately graduates a professional trustworthy enough to develop the next generation. I think Mr. Edwards implied it doesn't exist in "Never let a crisis go to waste," (16 Mar 09, section 7) and I tend to agree. However, I would appreciate anyone's suggestion of a Government institute that is dedicated to this level of training.

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that has merit to a degree.

I have become less of an advocate for "special off-site" training in certain areas. Particularly in programs that promote "making you a better this or that". Proficient, "Contract Managers", as I see it, are more effectively developed in the context of a real working environment. Of course the rub seems to be that context is increasingly scarce - that being a real working environment that openly promotes improvement in skills and performance of all the individuals resulting in a high performing contract organization - the two should be married IMO.

My experience in other fields I have functioned in before I got into contracting, was that folks who went away to obtain higher octane long term training that resulted in some certification that the company or agency touted as "top gun", for the most part but not always eventually regressed to the mean of the department. Certainly some good has come about, but it seemed hardly worth it to me as it rarely created the critical mass to improve the total shop around excepting their personal resume. But hey, nice certificate you got framed there and good luck with the promotion upward and out of here!

I have fantasized about a real working organization or shop within an agency or branch of a firm that truly functioned as "a model contracting department" where folks at all levels would rotate through for a significant stint to see and experience how things can truly operate whilst being truly and operational. Kind of like a "gold standard" of operations and service, essentially a "top gun department."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to George Washington Law School - And specialize in Procurement & Government Contract Law, however, its expensive (probably not best value whether its trade off or LPTA), it takes 3 years (beyond your solicited period of performance), BUT if you have a JD then you could obtain an LLM (I know, not within scope, but it was a part of my value engineering proposal) . Kidding aside, IMO a senior leadership type course would be more beneficial than a TOP GUN school in contracting (soft skills are critical in any organization and I would rather work for a good leader than the best technically proficient contract manager. BTW, how would you select the best of the best Contract Managers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kidding aside, IMO a senior leadership type course would be more beneficial than a TOP GUN school in contracting (soft skills are critical in any organization and I would rather work for a good leader than the best technically proficient contract manager.

For sure. The number of technically proficient and practically knowledgeable contract 'managers' with super-duper credentials I have had the pleasure to work for or with that also had those "soft skills" has been an exception - about one in ten. Sure, some are not bad on one on one interactions for transferring their skill and experience if even that but as manager-leaders running an operation with more than a few moving parts, not so hot. Inside joke is "Bizzillion dollar warrant and two buck leader."

And again, the idea of going away or off site even for and particularly special leadership/management training from what I have seen is usually fairly impotent when applied back in the operational environment....unless it manifests itself in specific action and behavior change. Few management and leadership trainings focus on what I consider to be actionable hands on, how to specifics. Only a limited number of individuals seem to make the leap from theory to effective actions on the firing line of a hopping organization with live, diverse human beings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Vern Edwards

For candidates chosen on a competitive basis-- a two-phase program:

PHASE ONE

1. Three months of demanding classroom training at a select university. Includes heavy reading, writing, and presentation assignments. Study topics include: ethics; structure of the Executive Branch; structure of the Legislative Branch; structure of the Judicial Branch; legislative procedure; administrative procedure; judicial procedure; contract law; budgeting and contract funding (appropriations law); the FAR; overview of the acquisition process; business organization; socio-economic programs; market research and acquisition planning; elementary contracting procedures--simplified acquisition, GSA FSS, multiple award task and delivery order contracting; and elementary contract pricing.

2. Candidates who successfully complete the two months of classroom training go to three months of OJT at specially selected offices doing simplified acquisitions and placing orders against existing contracts--GSA FSS, GWACs, MACs, and single-agency multiple award task and delivery order contracts. All organizations to which candidates are assigned for OJT are certified teaching institutions. Managers and first line supervisors in these offices are specially selected and receive bonus pay.

3. Candidates who successfully complete the field training go back to the classroom for two more months of demanding study. More reading and writing assignments. Study topics include: competition in contracting; requirements analysis and specification; research and development contracting; construction contracting; advanced contracting procedures--source selection, sealed bidding; protests; sole source contracting; contract quality assurance; subcontracting; transportation; government property; contract modification; contract financing; advanced contract pricing; contract termination; claims, disputes, and appeals; and the role and duties of the contracting officer.

4. Candidates who successfully complete the second round of demanding classroom training go another field teaching institution for nine months of field experience working on source selections and complex contract admin tasks.

5. Candidates who successfully complete the second round of field training go back to the classroom for a third round of two more months of even more demanding study. This period includes classes on dressing for success and social events attended by important leaders in government and industry. Study topics include: acquisition management; program management; contract office management; major system acquisition; cost accounting standards; other advanced topics.

6. Candidates who successfully complete the third round of classroom training go to yet another field teaching institution for a year of highly specialized experience: major defense systems, shipbuilding, IT systems, large-scale construction, environmental remediation, etc.

7. Candidates who successfully complete the final round of field training take a written and oral final examination similar to a bar exam/thesis defense. They are given one month of review in order to prepare.

PHASE TWO

Candidates who pass the final exam receive a Masters Degree in contract management, a grade of GS-13, and appointment by the FAR Council (OFPP administrator, Secretary of Defense, Administrator of GSA, and Administrator of NASA) as a contracting officer with unlimited authority. Graduates are ranked by program performance and may request assignment. Assignments are made on the basis of class standing. Graduates must serve in their first assignment for two years or repay the cost of their training ($100,000). Those who compete their PHASE TWO assignments satisfactorily receive promotion to GS-14 and next assignment of their choice suitable to their grade. They are on the fast track to SES status.

The program is not open to Government employees with more than two years of employment. It is open only to those with a bachelor's degree. Candidates with a bachelor's degree enter the program as GS-07s. Those with a master's degree enter as GS-09s. Program promotion steps are the same for all regardless of entry grade. Selectees must sign a contract. Start with a class size of 100. The program is tough and demanding, the standards are very high--ranger training for civilians. The weak and the whiners do not survive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vern - My first thought to your program is it's tough. But it should be since these are a relatively select few - 100 for the entire gvernment. My next thought is this wouldn't sell because of what many feel is too much training and not enough productive time. But then I realized it's not much more intense than the standard DoD intern program when I started. That consisted of five weeks for the basic contracts course, almost four weeks for cost/price analysis & negotiation techniques, and three weeks in the contract administration course. So that's three months of classroom training in the first two months, exclusive of the OJT time, and that's just in the first two years at the GS-5/7 level.

I think our new OFPP Administrator, Dan Gordon, could help a whole more by establishing a program like this than he could with the plans to spend $158 million at civilan agencies to hire more acqusition personnel. Just getting more bodies won't help.

shinaku - OPM has a good training programs for the "soft skills" in their Federal Executive Institute. I've never been there but lots of co-workers felt it's very beneficial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Vern Edwards
Vern - My first thought to your program is it's tough. But it should be since these are a relatively select few - 100 for the entire gvernment. My next thought is this wouldn't sell because of what many feel is too much training and not enough productive time. But then I realized it's not much more intense than the standard DoD intern program when I started. That consisted of five weeks for the basic contracts course, almost four weeks for cost/price analysis & negotiation techniques, and three weeks in the contract administration course. So that's three months of classroom training in the first two months, exclusive of the OJT time, and that's just in the first two years at the GS-5/7 level.

I think our new OFPP Administrator, Dan Gordon, could help a whole more by establishing a program like this than he could with the plans to spend $158 million at civilan agencies to hire more acqusition personnel. Just getting more bodies won't help.

shinaku - OPM has a good training programs for the "soft skills" in their Federal Executive Institute. I've never been there but lots of co-workers felt it's very beneficial.

Formerfed,

First, when you look at classroom time, don't think in terms of DAU and similar organizations. Their approach to teaching is to sit students down in a classroom for five and one-half hours per day, four or five days per week, and show them PowerPoint slides. That's an awful way to teach. That's not the way college courses are taught. In a college course a student will typically spend three hours per week in a classroom and maybe a few more hours more in a lab or in a discussion group. Most of the learning takes place outside of the classroom, when the student is alone with a book, a pad of paper, a pencil, a laptop, and his or her brain. That's the way classes would be taught in my program. You could cover a lot of ground in two or three month using that approach. Students in my program would have to maintain the kind of schedule that they would have to maintain in their first year in law school or a good MBA program. If you're looking for a lot of sleep and R and R, don't apply.

Second, that's 100 students in a class group. We might be able to run three or four groups per year through the program, with staggered starting times.

Third, if you think Dan Gordon should consider something like this, write him a letter. It's not going to get done simply through admiration. He ought to be working on something other than his next speech or appearance before Congress.

Fourth, as you can probably tell, I'm not much for spending time on soft skill training. If someone wants to be a nicer person and kinder boss, they should get training on their own time or just go to church, temple, synagogue, or mosque more often and pay closer attention. I'll bet the current "managers" that everyone complains so much about have logged in plenty of touchy-feely, soft skill training hours. In short, soft skills my ass. People should learn how to do their job and then do it well. If you cry easily, either do a good job or don't work for me.

You bet my program is tough. I'm looking to weed out the losers and near-do-wells and create more of, well... me. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vern,

Thanks for explaining what you envisioned by the classroom time. That makes sense having the sessions more like college courses. The best government course I had was taught similar to that. Ron Berger, who used to be at GAO, taught contract law at the USDA Grad School. Most of the work consisted of students, both individually and in groups. doing research. He amde assignments using actual cases, and we studied and did presentations on how we think they were decided. It was also fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love the type of training program Vern envisions or even one closer to that my 'older' co-workers received years ago.

Sadly, we're stuck with DAU.

Given this, what sort of self study program/resources would be suggested in order to improve my skills? We've been told cross training with other divisions in our command is not an option.

On that note, as well, anyone care to share their thoughts on the new CON 90 class? I can't help but feel it might be more of the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given this, what sort of self study program/resources would be suggested in order to improve my skills?

On that note, as well, anyone care to share their thoughts on the new CON 90 class? I can't help but feel it might be more of the same.

Louise,

Did you start Vern's study program? See http://www.wifcon.com/discussion/index.php?showtopic=488.

Also, regarding CON 090, don't expect it to be more of the same, if "more of the same" means 5-6 hours of Powerpoint presentations. Our goal is training, not torture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The LL.M. program in Government Procurement Law at GWU is the best training in the field.

Many of the Government's "top leaders" (many of whom had "leadership training") are talentless "soft skill" schmoozers who have the conscience and nerve of jewel thieves. Many leverage their journeyman wrongdoing to get promoted to senior level positions. When the public is lucky, their offices get cleared out by suited Feds with dollies and bankers boxes.

The best training to be a good Contracting Officer either was or was not imparted when you were a child. Then you were still making your mind up about what kinds of actions were right and what kinds of actions were wrong, and you were forming perceptions of self and notions of self-entitlement that stick with you still.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Vern Edwards
The LL.M. program in Government Procurement Law at GWU is the best training in the field.

Many of the Government's "top leaders" (many of whom had "leadership training") are talentless "soft skill" schmoozers who have the conscience and nerve of jewel thieves. Many leverage their journeyman wrongdoing to get promoted to senior level positions. When the public is lucky, their offices get cleared out by suited Feds with dollies and bankers boxes.

The best training to be a good Contracting Officer either was or was not imparted when you were a child. Then you were still making your mind up about what kinds of actions were right and what kinds of actions were wrong, and you were forming perceptions of self and notions of self-entitlement that stick with you still.

I agree that the GWU LLM program is superb, but it's a graduate law degree program. I don't think it provides all of the kinds of knowledge and skill required of a contracting officer, who must be a generalist. There is a lot more to contracting officership than law.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 10 months later...
I would love the type of training program Vern envisions or even one closer to that my 'older' co-workers received years ago.

Sadly, we're stuck with DAU.

Given this, what sort of self study program/resources would be suggested in order to improve my skills? We've been told cross training with other divisions in our command is not an option.

On that note, as well, anyone care to share their thoughts on the new CON 90 class? I can't help but feel it might be more of the same.

Con 90 isn't more of the same. It actually holds people accountable for learning the information for the most part. I've taken classes through Con 216 and Con 90 was definitely my favorite class. I also feel that I learned a great amount. After the first test, I would say 50% of the class wasn't passing. Of course, the class did get easier the 3rd and 4th week (they don't want 50% of the class failing). Thank goodness this class is now required.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Con 90 isn't more of the same. It actually holds people accountable for learning the information for the most part. I've taken classes through Con 216 and Con 90 was definitely my favorite class. I also feel that I learned a great amount. After the first test, I would say 50% of the class wasn't passing. Of course, the class did get easier the 3rd and 4th week (they don't want 50% of the class failing). Thank goodness this class is now required.

CON 090 is a waste of time and contributes significantly to the downfall of the government procurement process.

I knew about the FAR Search before I went to CON 90, it took me like 5 minutes to figure that out several years ago. What was interesting from CON 90 was how FAR 52 crossreference to other clauses; the other 3 weeks, 4 day and 7 hours was a waste of time.

DAU tells all the students that when they go back to their jobs that if they see something their bosses or KOs are doing that does not agree with the FAR, you call them to task. That sounds great in a classroom. In the real world, you only have the resources to do 3-4 things, but you are tasked to do 40 things, that is how it always has been and that is how it always will be. So have to do a risk assessment on what you can do and what you are going to take a zero on. This is called "living in the real world." You can imagine you what it is like when you have all these new CON 90 students walking around second guessing everything you do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CON 090 is a waste of time and contributes significantly to the downfall of the government procurement process.

I knew about the FAR Search before I went to CON 90, it took me like 5 minutes to figure that out several years ago. What was interesting from CON 90 was how FAR 52 crossreference to other clauses; the other 3 weeks, 4 day and 7 hours was a waste of time.

DAU tells all the students that when they go back to their jobs that if they see something their bosses or KOs are doing that does not agree with the FAR, you call them to task. That sounds great in a classroom. In the real world, you only have the resources to do 3-4 things, but you are tasked to do 40 things, that is how it always has been and that is how it always will be. So have to do a risk assessment on what you can do and what you are going to take a zero on. This is called "living in the real world." You can imagine you what it is like when you have all these new CON 90 students walking around second guessing everything you do.

You may be right, CON 090 may be a waste of time to people with experience but not everyone is on the same page. Newbies and interns will benefit from this class. The CON 090 I have attended was a great eye opener to the world of contracting. Also we were not told to check with our bosses or KOs if they are doing something that does not agree with the FAR. We were told to check all information presented to us by anybody to challenge and verify it with the applicable law, regulation, executive order, policy etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

We were told to check all information presented to us by anybody to challenge and verify it with the applicable law, regulation, executive order, policy etc.

Unfortunately, from what I have seen from "newbies" and "old timers" is that not too many people question. I have seen to many "professionals" ask someone how to do something or wait for legal to tell them rather than doing some basic research.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I'm assuming you need a J.D. to apply to the LL.M. program in Government Procurement Law at GWU?

You should check directly with GWU's admissions office. All law schools do not operate the same, and all degree programs are not the same. Some law schools have LLM programs to which BA / BS degree holders may directly apply. While other institutions trully consider the LLM as a step above and require that the JD be earned first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...