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GAO-02-503R 1 (2002-03-01)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaalxx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ~GAO Accountability * Integrity* Reliability United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 March 1, 2002 The Honorable Tom Davis Chairman Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy Committee on Government Reform House of Representatives Subject: Contract Management: Answers to Hearing Questions Regarding the Service Acquisition Reform Act Dear Mr. Chairman: You asked me to provide additional comments on several issues that I raised in my November 1, 2001, testimony before your subcommittee on a proposed Service Acquisition Reform Act. I am pleased to submit the following comments for your consideration. 1. In OMB's testimony, it is stated that the existing agency budgeting process is the more appropriate venue to fund training for acquisition workforce personnel. In GAO's prior work in this area, have you found that agencies adequately fund training? We are currently examining agency funding and budgeting practices as part of a review of acquisition workforce training and we expect to report back to the subcommittee later this year on the results of that review. As a general matter, we believe that additional training for the acquisition workforce is needed governmentwide. There are issues, however, that require clarification in order to more fully assess the adequacy of acquisition training funds. First, given the rapidly changing federal environment, there is a need to further clarify which professionals should be included in the acquisition workforce. For example, civilian agencies by and large apply a narrow definition of the acquisition workforce, essentially including only contracting personnel. Second, agencies need to clearly define what training is necessary for today's acquisition workforce to perform effectively. Our work on federal training indicates that during the 1990s, many federal agencies cut back on hiring new staff to reduce the number of employees on the payroll to meet downsizing goals. As a result, these agencies also reduced the influx of new people with new knowledge and skills that agencies needed to help build and sustain excellence. Moreover, anecdotal evidence on overall federal spending on training indicates that, in trying to save on workforce-related costs, agencies cut back on training investments needed if their smaller workforces were to make up for GAO-02-503R Contract Management PagelI

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