I’m curious to see how posters on WIFCON view procurement organizations being organized by specific spend categories. For example, a procurement organization within a larger agency might have a team that procures nothing but IT hardware. The organization may then have another team that procures absolutely nothing but software. There may be other branches handling vehicles, professional staffing, and so on. Each branch/team specializes in one specific type of segment with little wiggle room. 

I bring this up because a friend just joined an organization that recently reorganized itself into teams focusing on specific categories. Apparently, the transition/restructuring isn’t working out for this particular organization. Client offices are complaining about having to deal with multiple people, rather than their trusted 1102s that they've spent years working with. It appears that the human element has all but disappeared between the client offices and this particular procurement organization. My friend literally works on nothing but IT hardware requirements with very little client input.

I have only worked at agencies that were organized by customer offices that required a variety of goods and services. Usually, my portfolio/workload would contain various types of services, various IT requirements, supplies, and a number of other segments. Basically, my portfolio, regardless of agency, was always diverse with an array of segments. I was never focused on one thing. Matter of fact, I really only recall colleagues covering AE/CON being sort of sectored off and away from all the other action. Other than that, most portfolios were quite diverse.

I can see how having a team that specializes in the procurement of a specific category can lead to the development of a deep knowledge of that specific segment. I would think that most of the folks on those teams would eventually become SMEs of sorts within that particular segment. The procurement actions would centralized in a way for each category. On the flip side, it seems that it would be difficult to rotate or move around the organization if you only have experience focusing on one sort of service or product. This model doesn't appear to help one grow in their career. It seems to be a very one-dimensional approach. 

In your mind, what are the advantages and disadvantages of organizations being organized strictly by specific spend categories? Does client service suffer? Does it affect recruiting? Morale? Is knowledge lost? 

Not in government.

My old boss, Bill, believed that everybody who worked for him needed to be skilled in everything. Commodity procurement, low-dollar buys, catalog buys, prime contract management, cost-type, FFP, T&M, subcontract management. Everything. He believed that specialization was for insects.

My thought is that one can be the world's greatest bread-maker, but might not be sufficient to get a job in a diner that required the ability to make multiple dishes.

I think what matters is 1102s have a solid knowledge of what they buy and a collaborative working relationship with program office personnel.   The organizational structure of a contracting office just needs to allow for this.