Air Force Procurement Workforce Transformation Lessons from the Commercial Sector for Skills, Training, and Metrics

by Ausink, John; Baldwin, Laura H.; Paul, Christopher

• ISBN13: 9780833036483
• ISBN10: 0833036483
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-27
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

To assist the Air Force in the process of significantly changing the way it purchases goods and services, this monograph reviews related commerical-sector framework of metrics to track progress and refine procurement-workforce-development efforts over time.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii
Figures	xi
Tables	xiii
Summary	xv
Acknowledgments	xxi
Abbreviations and Acronyms	xxiii
Introduction	1	(8)
Background	1	(4)
Research Approach	5	(1)
Preview of Findings	6	(1)
Organization of the Report	7	(2)
An Analysis of Activities and Skills for the Air Force's Future Procurement Workforce	9	(12)
Information Sources	10	(1)
Commodity Councils and Their Activities	10	(4)
Skills Needed for Commodity Council Members	14	(1)
Sufficiency of Current Air Force and DoD Training for Commodity Council Skills	15	(2)
DAU Curriculum	15	(1)
AFIT Curriculum	16	(1)
Assessment of Current Training	17	(4)
Commercial Sector Training for Purchasing and Supply Management Professionals	21	(12)
Guiding Principles for Purchasing and Supply Management Training Programs	21	(3)
Examples from the Literature	24	(3)
SmithKline Beecham	24	(1)
Harley-Davidson	25	(1)
United Technologies Corporation	26	(1)
Examples from Interviews	27	(3)
Firm A	27	(1)
Firm B	28	(2)
Synthesis of Findings	30	(3)
Metrics for Air Force Procurement Workforce Transformation	33	(18)
Metrics Framework	34	(1)
Metrics for Level Two: Contracting Outcomes	35	(6)
Contract-Level Outcomes	36	(4)
Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Contracting Organization	40	(1)
Metrics for Level Three: Application Outcomes	41	(4)
Implementation of Purchasing and Supply Management Activities	42	(3)
Metrics for Level Four: Individual Learning Outcomes	45	(2)
Standardized Testing	45	(1)
Subjective Evaluation	46	(1)
Metrics for Level Five: Training Outcomes	47	(2)
Training Quality	47	(2)
Provision of Training	49	(1)
Overarching Considerations	49	(2)
Summary and Directions for Future Research	51	(36)
Summary	51	(1)
Topics for Future Research	52	(3)
APPENDIX
A. Detailed Lists of Commodity Council Activities	55	(6)
B. Detailed List of Skills for Commodity Council Activities	61	(4)
C. Mapping of Activities to Specific Skills	65	(8)
D. DAU and AFIT Training Assessment Approach	73	(2)
E. Defense Procurement ``Competency'' List for the 21st Century Acquisition Workforce	75	(6)
F. Training Methods, Training Resources, and Organizations That Offer Training	81	(6)
Bibliography	87