Architect-Engineer Acquisition Management Skills Career Development Guide
Training
- Baccalaureate degree in architecture or engineering that qualifies for state licensure
- Contracting Orientation Course (such as the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) CON 100 or equivalent)
Experience
- Experience assisting upper level project managers on project execution strategies.
- Experience with minor design and construction projects under direct supervision.
- Familiarity with the multi-stage building design process (concept, design development, construction documents, construction administration) including incremental cost control strategies.
- Understanding of rules and regulations as they apply to A/E acquisition & Brook's Act process to include development of scopes of work and acquisition plans.
Skills
- Familiarity with the general work distribution within an A/E team both within each consultant and between the prime and the various consultants.
- Familiarity with the issues relevant to the type of projects being administered (i.e. new construction, repair and alteration, historic preservation, laboratories, campus planning, etc).
- Understanding of the construction procurement process being utilized as it relates to the development of contract document during the design phase.
Training
- A/E Acquisition Course
- Intermediate Facilities Engineering class (such DAU's FE 201 or equivalent course)
- Intermediate System Acquisition Course (such as DAU's ACQ 201 or equivalent course)
- One year experience in managing minor projects or A/E related federal activity.
Experience
- Experience with project management of prospectus level projects up to _____ (an agency-defined amount in terms of dollars or complexity).
- Experience with A/E contract development, negotiation, and administration.
- Experience developing comprehensive project management plans.
- Experience with design and construction projects under direct supervision
Skills
Skills identified in the previous tier, at an intermediate level of difficulty, complexity, and proficiency:
- Broad understanding of the overall federal project development process ranging from initial planning and budgeting through design, construction and occupancy.
- Understanding of federal funding laws, regulations and procedures such as prospectus limitations.
- Understanding the pros and cons of various project delivery systems (i.e., traditional, design-build, CMC, bridging, etc) and their impact on A/E contracting.
- Understanding of applicable environmental laws and internal agency project requirements affecting the type of projects being executed.
- Understanding of applicable programs relative to the type of projects being executed. For example, border stations, courthouses, repair and alterations, etc.
- Basic understanding of A/E and construction contract laws.
Training
- Advanced Project Management (such as GSA's course or equivalent DAU course)
- Advanced Facilities Engineering (such as DAU's FE 301 (under development) or equivalent course)
- Advanced Program Management Course (such as DAU's PMT 353 or equivalent course)
- Four years experience managing major projects (minimum).
Experience
- Experience with project management of prospectus level projects up to _____ (an agency-defined amount in terms of dollars or complexity).
- Supervisory or team leadership experience and/or technical subject matter expertise.
- Advanced project management experience.
- Experience with design and construction projects under direct supervision
Skills
Skills identified in the previous tier, at a high level of difficulty, complexity, and proficiency:
- Leadership in the acquisition of A/E services to regional and/or national staff by assessing proposed project delivery strategies by more junior professionals.
- Ability to review and evaluate the adequacy of specific project documentation such as project management plans, cost estimates, acquisition plans, and contracts prepared by support staff.
- Understanding of how to evaluate the performance of professional staff with respect to A/E acquisitions.
- Ability to develop solutions to complex project and program issues unresolved by support staff.
- Ability to develop, implement and maintain programmatic structure for the successful execution of A/E acquisitions at either the project execution office or national program office levels.
- Ability to develop and manage the more complex projects in the agency, or act as a subject matter expert in the design and construction enterprise. For example, engineering, security, accessibility, etc.