The position of the Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) was created by the Services Acquisition Reform Act, Section 1421 of Public Law 108-136. The mission of the CAO is to provide an overall management framework for and support to the Department of Energy and the federal acquisition system to ensure that it effectively and efficiently serves the Department in accomplishing its mission. The vision of the CAO is that effective and efficient aquisition should be viewed as a strategic business issue for the federal government. The functions of the CAO are:

Monitor the performance of acquisition activities and acquisition programs and evaluate the performance of those programs on the basis of applicable performance measurements;

Advise the Secretary of Energy regarding the appropriate business strategy to achieve the mission of the agency;

Increase the use of full and open competition in the acquisition of property and services by establishing policies, procedures, and practices that ensure that DOE receives a sufficient number of sealed bids or competitive proposals from responsible sources to fulfill the Government's requirements at the lowest cost or best value considering the nature of the property or service procured;

Increase appropriate use of performance based contracting and performance specifications;

Make acquisition decisions consistent with all applicable laws;

Establish clear lines of authority, accountability, and responsibility for acquisition decision making within the executive agency;

Manage the direction of acquisition policy for DOE, including implementation of the unique acquisition policies, regulations, and standards as they pertain to DOE;

Develop and maintain an acquisition career management program within DOE to ensure that there is an adequate professional workforce; and

As part of the strategic planning and performance evaluation process required by statute-

Assess the requirements established for agency personnel regarding knowledge and skill in acquisition resources management and the adequacy of such requirements for facilitating the achievement of the performance goals established for acquisition management;

Develop strategies and specific plans for hiring, training, and professional development in order to rectify any deficiency in meeting such requirements; and

Report to the Secretary on the progress made in improving acquisition management capability.

The CAO serves as a change-agent to help create a procurement system that:

Supports and promotes the achievement of federal business goals and strategies;

Reduces federal overhead buying products and services at lower cost;

Facilitates improved taxpayer service delivery by placing better quality, higher performing supplies, technology, and support service in the hands of federal managers;

Is more efficient, timely, and customer focused;

Produces better information to support planning and execution of the procurement function;

Encourages the participation of all the nation's diverse human and business resources in a revitalized economy;

Serves and protects the public interest; and

Demands that the government's business be conducted under the highest ethical standards.

Dr. Bruce Carnes, Associate Deputy Secretary, was appointed as the Department of Energy's first CAO on June 16, 2004.

Currently, Mr. Francis C. Spampinato is the Department's CAO.

The CAO is supported by the Department's Senior Procurement Executives and the Director of the Office of Engineering and Construction Management.