Analysis of the Training and Development of the Contract Specialist 1102 Interns

摘要

This thesis analyzed the U.S. Army Contracting Command (ACC) training and development programs for contract specialists (1102s). Involvement in two wars has generated unintended consequences in the contracting community, which may be adversely affecting the Army's ability to meet and sustain its contracting responsibilities, e.g., an expanding contracting mission accompanied by substantial attrition of experienced contracting professionals. The study analyzed 1102 training and development practices at two major Army Contracting Centers: (1) Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Contracting Center; and (2) Joint Munitions & Lethality (JM&L) Contracting Center. The objective of the study was to draw conclusions on the overall efficacy of 1102 training and development programs and to recommend ways to mitigate the aforementioned gaps. Surveys and interviews were conducted with TACOM and JM&L Contracting Center employees, workforce development personnel, and a Defense Acquisition University professor. Conclusions included: (1) the vision and goal of becoming world-class contracting centers will remain works- in-progress for five to 10 years in the future; (2) the Army may be more focused on certifications than contracting performance outcomes; and (3) interns may be overwhelmed with classes, yet detached from obtaining sufficient On-the-Job Training (OJT). Recommendations include: substantially increasing OJT, appointing OJT coordinators, and offering well-structured training programs tailored to individual developmental assignments.