Government acquisition professionals are performing a “balancing act” as they attempt to address perennial concerns, according to the sixth biennial Acquisition Policy Survey of federal government personnel released by the Professional Services Council and Grant Thornton on December 17.
The 2012 edition of the survey, “The Balancing Act: Acquisition in an Unabated Crisis,” identified three top challenges facing today’s acquisition workforce and explored a decade of survey results, finding common themes that point to a myriad of unresolved issues. Common, unresolved issues included budget stability, workforce resources and capabilities, training and development, and oversight and transparency.
Among the ongoing challenges highlighted in the 2012 report are:
Budget Uncertainty: Acquisition officials continue to be challenged to make strategic choices in a resource-constrained environment. As fiscal pressures rise, it is clear that many in the federal acquisition community believe “smart acquisition” can play a meaningful role in any solution.
Workforce: Acquisition workforce issues continue to be a top concern, including the impending retirement exodus of federal acquisition experts, difficulties recruiting and retaining a capable workforce, and the need for more frequent and improved acquisition training.
Oversight: Demands of inspectors general offices, audit agencies and congressional inquiries for evaluating government contracting have grown over the last decade. Respondents report that burdensome requests, reporting and “check-the-box” compliance requirements are, ironically, robbing procurement staff of the time and resources needed to manage contracts effectively.
