The Contracting Education Academy

Contracting Academy Logo
  • Home
  • Training & Education
  • Services
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Government Contracting News / Shrinking budgets remain most important acquisition issue

November 22, 2011 By AMK

Shrinking budgets remain most important acquisition issue

Hundreds of federal employees responsible for making sure government contracts run properly — and their industry counterparts — have convened at the 2011 Government Contract Management Conference today in Bethesda, Md.

Jan Frye, the deputy assistant secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department’s Office of Acquisition and Logistics, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris  from the conference to discuss the big issues in contract management.

The big issue is the budget, and what cutting it will mean for the federal acquisition workforce, he explained.

“As we downsize again, as the budgets get smaller, we all wonder where we’re headed with these new professionals we have added to the contracting workforce.”

Frye said acquisition professionals are concerned not only about their own jobs, but what the loss of contracting officers will mean for government procurement, he added.

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy recently boosted requirements for contracting officers — renaming the position and adding different certification levels. Frye said. The change will echo how the Defense Department labels and certifies its contracting officers.

The process from procurement — the actual purchasing of goods and services — and contract management is part of “a large continuum,” Frye said.

There are three essential skills a successful contracting manager needs, Frye said.

  • Technical skills. This conference provides that continuing education to help each of us stay on top of our profession,” he explained. 
  • Conceptual skills. “Putting the pieces together, seeing the big picture,” Frye said. 
  • Interpersonal skills. “This may be the most important skill that contracting officer need in performing their duties,” he said. “If we can’t get along with people, obviously, we’re not going to do well with the team.”

— by Jack Moore, Federal News Radio.  Published Nov. 14, 2011 at http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=85&sid=2631843.

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition training, acquisition workforce, budget cuts, OFPP

Popular Topics

abuse acquisition reform acquisition strategy acquisition training acquisition workforce Air Force Army AT&L bid protest budget budget cuts competition cybersecurity DAU DFARS DHS DoD DOJ FAR fraud GAO Georgia Tech GSA GSA Schedule GSA Schedules IG industrial base information technology innovation IT Justice Dept. Navy NDAA OFPP OMB OTA Pentagon procurement reform protest SBA sequestration small business spending technology VA
Contracting Academy Logo
75 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30308
info@ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu
Phone: 404-894-6109
Fax: 404-410-6885

RSS Twitter

Search this Website

Copyright © 2023 · Georgia Tech - Enterprise Innovation Institute