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The Policy Letter on Procurement System Education, Training and Experience Requirements for Acquisition Personnel (9/19/97) requires, among other things, that:
“Agencies shall establish policies that require an equivalent of at least 40 hours of continuing education or training every two years for contract specialists (GS-1102 series) and Contracting Officers who have satisfied the mandatory and agency/assignment-specific training for the purpose of maintaining currency of acquisition knowledge and skills. This may include, but is not limited to, agency sponsored training and management/executive seminars, special jog and /or professional association related projects and /or participation in seminars/workshops, or other appropriated developmental activities.”
A February 2000 General Accounting Report found that insufficient attention was paid to this required training at several agencies. (PDF require Acrobat Reader. Click here to download).
Skills Currency Q & A
Question: What is the requirement?Answer: As set forth in Policy Letter No. 97-01, issued by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Contract specialists who have completed their mandatory training are to complete 40 hours of training every two years to maintain skills currency. The current period is from January 2006 to December 31, 2007.
Question: Does this apply to me?
Answer: This applies to all 1102 series contract specialists and Contracting Officers who have received Level III or Level IV certification. People with level III or IV certification are assumed to have completed all mandatory training. If you have level II certification, and are not working towards getting your level III, then your mandatory training is considered complete and the skills currency requirement applies to you. To be considered as working towards your level III, you must take at least 40 hours of DHHS acquisition training every two years.
Question: What sort of training can be credited toward my 40 hours?
Answer: The regulation states that skills currency training can include but is not limited to “agency sponsored training, and management/executive seminars, special job and /or professional association related projects, participation in seminars/ workshops…” Our normal HHS contracting courses count, as does the Executive Contracting course. Attendance at NCMA meetings counts, as does attendance at our AMC symposiums. Training organized at the institute level can count. When in doubt, ask Carl Henn, the Acquisition Training Coordinator (496-7110, ch24v@nih.gov)
Question: How do I get credited for these activities?
Answer: Send confirmation of attendance to Kelly Jackson at 6D01A/6100. A note signed or e-mailed through your supervisor will also be accepted. Many events include sign in sheets that are forwarded back to our office. In this case, all you need to do is sign in. OAMP’s training and certification office maintains a database to document NIH’s compliance with this law.
Question: How do I know how many hours I’ve accumulated?
Answer: Keep track of them as you accumulate them. You and your supervisor are responsible for meeting this requirement. OAMP’s tracking is provided to ensure that NIH as a whole is complying with the requirement. Your individual compliance is your responsibility. If our tracking doesn’t show you have sufficient hours, we will contact you to ensure that you do in fact meet the requirement or have a training plan to achieve compliance within a reasonable time. You may ask Carl Henn or Kelly Jackson if you are unsure whether a particular class counts.
Question: What happens if I didn’t get the 40 hours in?
Answer: OAMP will provide a list of relevant training to Chief Contracting Officers. Each Chief Contracting Officer will ensure that their institute is in compliance.
Question: Can I carry over hours from one period to the next?
Answer: No.
Question: What if I complete mandatory training part way through the period?
Answer: People who receive their level III certification (or level II if you aren’t going on to get a level III certification) after the beginning of the period but before the midpoint will have to complete half the hours (i.e. 20 hours). People who receive level III certification after the midpoint will start with the next tracking period. The midpoint for this tracking period is was December 31, 2006. Note that different rules apply to the next tracking period.
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