[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 761 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 761

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                April 7 (legislative day, April 5), 2011

Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Akaka, and Mrs. McCaskill) 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 a leadership development 
               training 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 2011''.

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

    (a) Establishment of Acquisition Management Fellows Workforce 
Program.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 17 of title 41, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        section:
``Sec. 1714. 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 
2011, 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 all phases of the contract 
                life cycle, from acquisition planning to contract 
                formation and post-award administration of contract 
                types identified in part 16 of the Federal Acquisition 
                Regulation, and including interagency contracts, 
                contract cost and pricing, and negotiation techniques.
                    ``(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.--To the extent permitted by 
        law, 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 compensate such graduates 
        at an initial GS-12 level of the General Schedule, or 
        equivalent, with the potential for a GS-13 level of 
        compensation, or equivalent, upon one year of satisfactory 
        performance.
    ``(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;
            ``(4) ensure that veterans (as that term is defined in 
        section 101(2) of title 38) are given priority as candidates 
        for participation in the program; and
            ``(5) 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 Development 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; and
                            ``(v) other necessary expenses the 
                        Administrator considers necessary.
            ``(3) Deposits to fund.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Fund shall consist of 
                amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the 
                Fund.
                    ``(B) Transfer.--The Administrator may transfer 
                necessary amounts from the Acquisition Workforce 
                Training Fund (AWTF) established under section 1703(i) 
                of this title to provide an initial deposit or to 
                augment the Fund.
                    ``(C) Department of defense participation.--If the 
                Department of Defense elects to participate in the 
                program, it shall provide necessary funds, commensurate 
                to the share of participants it sponsors, from proceeds 
                available pursuant to section 1703(i)(5) of this title 
                or section 1705 of title 10.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new item:

``1714. 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 1714 of title 41, United States Code, 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 2012, $16,000,000.
            (2) For fiscal year 2013, $32,000,000.
            (3) For fiscal year 2014, and each fiscal year thereafter, 
        $48,000,000.

SEC. 3. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Leadership Development Training Program.--
    (b) Establishment of Training Program.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, Administrator for Federal 
Procurement Policy shall establish a leadership development training 
program for Federal employees focused on core leadership and 
acquisition competencies. The purpose of the training program shall be 
to foster the development of high performing individuals in the three 
core acquisition disciplines of contracting, program management, and 
cost estimating to serve as future acquisition leaders.
    (c) Objectives.--The objectives of the program shall be as follows:
            (1) To develop a new generation of acquisition leaders in 
        the three major acquisition disciplines currently in the 
        Federal workforce in order to expand and improve the quality of 
        the acquisition workforce.
            (2) To develop high performing Federal employees in the 
        three major acquisition disciplines to provide opportunities 
        for advancement into leadership positions.
            (3) To enhance the ability to foster networking and 
        understanding among the three major acquisition disciplines to 
        achieve desired acquisition outcomes.
    (d) Structure.--
            (1) Cooperative agreement.--The Office of Federal 
        Procurement Policy shall enter into cooperative agreements with 
        one or more institutions of higher learning as prescribed under 
        Office of Management and Budget Circular A-102, ``Grants and 
        Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments'' to 
        develop and implement the training program.
            (2) Participants.--The training program participants shall 
        be composed of an equal distribution of the three targeted 
        acquisition disciplines.
            (3) Program selection official.--The Director of the 
        Federal Acquisition Institute shall be the program selection 
        official.
            (4) Training.--The program shall consist of 18 months of 
        academic classroom training. The participants shall complete 
        the training during normal duty hours, and shall remain at 
        their current duty station during any such hours not spent in 
        training. Upon successful completion of the program, 
        participants shall receive a Master's Degree in Public 
        Administration with a concentration in Federal acquisition.
            (5) Curriculum.--The curriculum of the program shall be 
        developed by the partnering institution or institutions of 
        higher learning and approved by the Director of the Federal 
        Acquisition Institute.
    (e) Size.--The total number of individuals entering the pilot 
program shall be not less than 50. There shall be an equal composition 
of the three acquisition functions.
    (f) Elements.--In carrying out the program, the Administrator for 
Federal Procurement Policy shall--
            (1) enter into cooperative agreements with one or more 
        institutions of higher learning to provide for the management 
        and oversight of the training program; and
            (2) collaborate with such institution or institutions to 
        develop learning objectives and to design classroom training to 
        best meet the program objectives.
    (g) Service Agreement.--
            (1) Commitment for federal service.--A person selected for 
        participation in the program shall commit to employment for not 
        less than 2 years with the Federal Government in the field of 
        acquisition, following completion of the program, under such 
        terms and conditions as the Administrator for Federal 
        Procurement Policy considers appropriate to ensure the Federal 
        Government receives proper return on investment.
            (2) Reimbursement of funds.--In cases where a participant 
        does not complete the minimum employment commitment, the 
        participant shall reimburse the Federal Government for a 
        prorated share of the cost of the training, based on the 
        proportion of the commitment that remains unfulfilled.
    (h) Use of Funds.--Amounts in the Acquisition Workforce Training 
Fund (AWTF) established under section 1703(i) of title 41, United 
States Code, may be made available for the program and may be used 
for--
            (1) the establishment and operations of the program, 
        including planning and administration;
            (2) classroom training expenses, including--
                    (A) tuition;
                    (B) books; and
                    (C) other necessary expenses the Administrator for 
                Federal Procurement Policy considers necessary.
    (i) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        commencement of the training program, and semi-annually 
        thereafter, the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy 
        shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
        report on the program.
            (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) a description of the activities under the 
                training 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 the partnering institution 
                or institutions of higher learning;
                    (C) recommendations for additional legislative or 
                administrative action that the Administrator for 
                Federal Procurement Policy considers appropriate in 
                light of the program; and
                    (D) workforce data to support the return on 
                investment, including retention rates and improvement 
                in workforce quality.
            (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.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for the Leadership Development Training Program the 
following amounts:
            (1) For fiscal year 2012, $500,000.
            (2) For fiscal year 2013, $250,000.
                                 <all>