Become an Acquisition Professional

What is an Acquisition Professional?
Acquisition is defined to include, among traditional contracting functions, requirements definition, measurement of contract performance, and technical and management direction. Members of the acquisition workforce may include individuals who:

  • Define, determine, and manage requirements,
  • Are involved in acquisition planning and strategy,
  • Participate in the process of establishing the business relationship to obtain needed goods and services, (e.g., contracting process, those involved in the solicitation, evaluation and award of acquisitions),
  • Manage the process after business arrangements have been made to ensure that the government's needs are met (e.g., testing and evaluating, managing and monitoring the manufacturing and production activities, auditing, contract administration, performance management and evaluation, etc.),
  • Arrange disposal of any residual items after work is complete, (e.g., property management/disposal),
  • Support the business processes of the above listed activities (e.g., General Counsel, finance, or other subject matter experts), and
  • Directly manage those involved in any of the above activities.

The most common acquisition professional in the Federal Government is a Contract Specialist. These personnel act as business advisors to the Program Managers in their Agencies, assisting them in planning for and acquiring the goods and services needed so that Agencies can accomplish their mission.

Contract Specialists are in high demand as the government's need for goods and services has increased dramatically over the past few years and the services being acquired are more technically complex as well as the projects and contracts being of longer duration. In addition, the enhanced mission of the Federal Government since 9/11 to provide for increased homeland security has resulted in a similar increased responsibility for the acquisition community.

Federal Acquisition Intern Coalition
The Federal Acquisition Intern Coalition (FAIC) is a source of information about careers in acquisition - from available paid internships and jobs to a variety of career benefits and training opportunities.

Internships in Acquisition
There are a number of internship programs available for individuals interested in transitioning into the acquisition field. This section describes governmentwide internship programs. You may also want to search a specific agency website for internships that particular agency may offer.

USA Jobs - Acquisition Positions
USA Jobs is the official site for position openings and employment information with the Federal Government. Create an account with USA Jobs and receive automated updates on the latest listings.

Academic Programs in Acquisition
Information on acquisition-related academic programs for individuals interested in entering the acquisition field.