[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2901 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2901

 To improve the acquisition workforce through the establishment of an 
    acquisition management fellows program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 17, 2009

 Ms. Collins (for herself, Mrs. McCaskill, and Mr. Bennett) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
             on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve the acquisition workforce through the establishment of an 
    acquisition management fellows program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Acquisition Workforce Improvement 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT FELLOWS PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Office of Federal Procurement Policy 
        Act (41 U.S.C. 403 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:

``SEC. 45. GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT FELLOWS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment of Program.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act of 
2009, the Administrator shall establish a government-wide acquisition 
management fellows program (in this section referred to as the 
`program') for the purpose of investing in the long-term improvement 
and sustained excellence of the Federal acquisition workforce.
    ``(b) Objectives.--The objectives of the program shall be as 
follows:
            ``(1) To develop a new generation of acquisition leaders 
        with government-wide perspective, skills, and experience.
            ``(2) To recruit individuals with the outstanding academic 
        merit, ethical value, business acumen, and leadership skills to 
        meet the acquisition needs of the Federal Government.
            ``(3) To offer, upon completion of the program, 
        opportunities for advancement, competitive compensation, and 
        leadership opportunities at various executive agencies.
    ``(c) Structure.--
            ``(1) Contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.--The 
        Office of Federal Procurement Policy shall enter into 
        contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements with one or more 
        qualified universities with demonstrated expertise in Federal 
        Government acquisition.
            ``(2) Training.--The program shall consist of one academic 
        year of full-time, on-campus training followed by two years of 
        on-the-job and part-time training toward a Masters or 
        equivalent graduate degree in related fields.
            ``(3) Curriculum.--The curriculum of the program shall 
        include the following elements:
                    ``(A) Rotational assignments at three or more 
                executive agencies covering, among other issues, 
                acquisition planning, cost estimation, formation and 
                post-award administration of cost-reimbursement 
                contracts, time-and-materials contracts, indefinite 
                delivery indefinite quantity contracts, and interagency 
                contracts, terminations, and contract close-out.
                    ``(B) All required non-agency-specific training 
                courses necessary for basic contracting officer warrant 
                as established by the Office of Federal Procurement 
                Policy.
                    ``(C) Emphasis on transparency, accountability, and 
                integrity in the public contracting process.
                    ``(D) Other necessary courses and education as 
                required by participating universities.
            ``(4) Priority for employment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The head of each executive 
                agency shall give priority to graduates of the program 
                for purposes of hiring employees in the acquisition 
                field, based on performance during the program and 
                other qualifications, and shall initially appoint such 
                graduates to positions at the GS-12, 13, or 14 levels 
                of the General Schedule, or equivalents.
                    ``(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this 
                paragraph shall be construed to authorize any hiring 
                that violates any merit system principle under section 
                2301 of title 5, United States Code, or conflicts with 
                any right of a preference eligible (as defined under 
                section 2108 of such title).
    ``(d) Size.--The total number of individuals entering the program 
each year may not exceed 200. There shall be at least 50 participants 
in the first year of the program, 100 participants in the second year, 
and 150 participants thereafter.
    ``(e) Elements.--In carrying out the program, the Administrator 
shall--
            ``(1) enter into one or more contracts, grants, or 
        cooperative agreements with qualified universities having an 
        expertise in Federal Government acquisition and the resources 
        to administer the program independently;
            ``(2) be responsible for the management and oversight of 
        the overall program and for placement of individuals upon 
        graduation;
            ``(3) allow participating universities to select and to 
        remove program participants in accordance with the established 
        academic process for such graduate degree programs; and
            ``(4) periodically review the career development of the 
        program participants upon placement and make necessary 
        adjustments to the program to ensure the objectives are met.
    ``(f) Service Agreement.--
            ``(1) Commitment for federal service.--A person selected 
        for participation in the program shall commit to employment 
        with the Federal Government in the field of acquisition, 
        following completion of the program, under such terms and 
        conditions as the Administrator considers appropriate to ensure 
        the Federal Government receives proper return on investment. 
        Such employment shall be for a term of not less than one year 
        for each year in the program.
            ``(2) Reimbursement of funds.--In cases of candidates who 
        do not successfully complete the program or do not fulfill the 
        minimum service requirements, the candidates shall be required 
        to reimburse the Federal Government for funds received under 
        the program.
    ``(g) OFPP Acquisition Fellows Program Fund.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the 
        Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the `OFPP 
        Acquisition Fellows Development Fund' (in this section referred 
        to as the `Fund').
            ``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts in the Fund shall be used 
        for--
                    ``(A) the establishment and operations of the 
                program;
                    ``(B) the award of contracts, grants, or 
                cooperative agreements to cover expenses including--
                            ``(i) tuition, books, materials, and other 
                        academic expenses;
                            ``(ii) room and board of students during 
                        the time students are enrolled in the program;
                            ``(iii) expenses for travel as required by 
                        the program;
                            ``(iv) stipends;
                            ``(v) planning and administration of the 
                        program; and
                            ``(vi) other necessary expenses the 
                        Administrator considers necessary.
            ``(3) Deposits to fund.--The Fund shall consist of amounts 
        appropriated or otherwise made available to the Fund.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section 
        1(b) of such Act is amended by adding at the end the following 
        new item:

``Sec. 45. Government-wide acquisition management fellows program.''.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 120 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees a preliminary report 
        on the program, including a description of the program and the 
        five-year budget needed to carry out the government-wide 
        acquisition management fellows program established under 
        section 45 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, as 
        added by subsection (a).
            (2) Annual report.--Not later than one year after the 
        commencement of the program and annually thereafter, the 
        Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on the program. The report shall include--
                    (A) a description of the activities under the 
                program, including the number of individuals who 
                participated in the program and the training provided 
                such individuals under the program;
                    (B) an assessment of the effectiveness of the 
                program in meeting the objectives of the program, 
                including the performance of each university 
                administering the program; and
                    (C) any recommendations for additional legislative 
                or administrative action that the Administrator 
                considers appropriate in light of the program.
            (3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                Governmental Affairs and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Oversight and Government 
                Reform and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
                of Representatives.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for the OFPP Acquisition Fellows Development Fund the 
following amounts:
            (1) For fiscal year 2011, $16,000,000.
            (2) For fiscal year 2012, $32,000,000.
            (3) For fiscal year 2013, $48,000,000.
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