Is acquisition training for project managers adequate?

A change in thinking over the last several years has expanded the acquisition workforce beyond the General Schedule-1102 contracting officer and others in the same office. The project and program managers and the contracting officer’s representatives (CORs), who deal with both sides of the procurement, are significant players in making a successful acquisition.

But one expert believes project managers taking some training courses may be getting little useful information on their important role in a procurement. In other words, they may not have much to take back to the office.

“I am finding this acquisition section [of the courses] to be very Spartan and not actually preparing and educating project managers,” Jaime Gracia, president and CEO of Seville Government Consulting, a federal acquisition and program management consulting firm, wrote Jan. 18 in a post on GovLoop.

He wrote that after reviewing and auditing some courses, they generally include a section on procurement, as it relates to the overall cycle of a project. All the courses do, though, is meet the minimum requirements to earn credits toward training certifications.

Which courses? Gracia didn't say. But, based on your experience, are Gracia’s comments on procurement training for project managers true?

Considering his view of the procurement training for project managers, Gracia asked three questions in his post as well. The answers may help in providing project managers better acquisition training.

- What kind of things do you typically do as a project manager at your agency regarding procurement?

- What roles and responsibilities do you have as a project manager in a procurement?

- As project manager, what should you be doing that others are already doing or that aren't being doing at all?

The Acquisitive Mind would like answers those questions whether you are a project manager or know someone who is.

Posted by Matthew Weigelt on Jan 19, 2012 at 11:26 AM