schedules) at the lowest cost or best value considering the nature 
of the property or service procured; 
(C) increasing appropriate use of performance-based contracting 
and performance specifications; 
(D) making acquisition decisions consistent with all applicable 
laws and establishing clear lines of authority, accountability, and 
responsibility for acquisition decisionmaking within the executive 
agency; 
(E) managing the direction of acquisition policy for the execu-
tive agency, including implementation of the unique acquisition 
policies, regulations, and standards of the executive agency; 
(F) developing and maintaining an acquisition career manage-
ment program in the executive agency to ensure that there is an 
adequate professional workforce; and 
(G) as part of the strategic planning and performance evalua-
tion process required under section 306 of title 5 and sections 
1105(a)(28), 1115, 1116, and 9703 (added by section 5(a) of 
Public Law 103–62 (107 Stat. 289)) of title 31— 
(i) assessing the requirements established for agency per-
sonnel regarding knowledge and skill in acquisition resources 
management and the adequacy of those requirements for fa-
cilitating the achievement of the performance goals estab-
lished for acquisition management; 
(ii) developing strategies and specific plans for hiring, 
training, and professional development to rectify a deficiency 
in meeting those requirements; and 
(iii) reporting to the head of the executive agency on the 
progress made in improving acquisition management capa-
bility. 
(c) SENIOR PROCUREMENT EXECUTIVE.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—The head of each executive agency shall des-
ignate a senior procurement executive. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITY.—The senior procurement executive is respon-
sible for management direction of the procurement system of the execu-
tive agency, including implementation of the unique procurement poli-
cies, regulations, and standards of the executive agency. 
(3) WHEN
CHIEF
ACQUISITION
OFFICER
APPOINTED
OR
DES-
IGNATED.—For an executive agency for which a Chief Acquisition Offi-
cer has been appointed or designated under subsection (a), the head 
of the executive agency shall—
(A) designate the Chief Acquisition Officer as the senior pro-
curement executive for the executive agency; or 
(B) ensure that the senior procurement executive designated 
under paragraph (1) reports directly to the Chief Acquisition Offi-
cer without intervening authority. 
§ 1703. Acquisition workforce 
(a) DESCRIPTION.—For purposes of this section, the acquisition work-
force of an agency consists of all employees serving in acquisition positions 
listed in subsection (g)(1)(A). 
(b) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) NONAPPLICABILITY TO CERTAIN EXECUTIVE AGENCIES.—Except 
as provided in subsection (i), this section does not apply to an executive 
agency that is subject to chapter 87 of title 10. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF PROGRAMS.—The programs established by 
this section apply to the acquisition workforce of each executive agency. 
(c) MANAGEMENT POLICIES.— 
(1) DUTIES OF HEAD OF EXECUTIVE AGENCY.— 
(A) ESTABLISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.—After consulta-
tion with the Administrator, the head of each executive agency 
shall establish policies and procedures for the effective manage-
ment (including accession, education, training, career development, 
and performance incentives) of the acquisition workforce of the 
agency. The development of acquisition workforce policies under 
this section shall be carried out consistent with the merit system 
principles set forth in section 2301(b) of title 5. 
(B) ENSURE UNIFORM IMPLEMENTATION.—The head of each 
executive agency shall ensure that, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, acquisition workforce policies and procedures established 
are uniform in their implementation throughout the agency. 
(2) DUTIES
OF
ADMINISTRATOR.—The Administrator shall issue 
policies to promote uniform implementation of this section by executive 
agencies, with due regard for differences in program requirements 
among agencies that may be appropriate and warranted in view of the 
agency mission. The Administrator shall coordinate with the Deputy 
Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget to 
ensure that the policies are consistent with the policies and procedures 
established, and enhanced system of incentives provided, pursuant to 
section 5051(c) of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 
(Public Law 103–355, 108 Stat. 3351). The Administrator shall evalu-
ate the implementation of this section by executive agencies.
(d) AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SENIOR PROCUREMENT EXEC-
UTIVE.—Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the head of an 
executive agency, the senior procurement executive of the agency shall carry 
out all powers, functions, and duties of the head of the agency with respect 
to implementing this section. The senior procurement executive shall ensure 
that the policies of the head of the executive agency established in accord-
ance with this section are implemented throughout the agency. 
(e) COLLECTING AND MAINTAINING INFORMATION.—The Administrator 
shall ensure that the heads of executive agencies collect and maintain stand-
ardized information on the acquisition workforce related to implementing 
this section. To the maximum extent practicable, information requirements 
shall conform to standards the Director of the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment establishes for the Central Personnel Data File. 
(f) CAREER DEVELOPMENT.— 
(1) CAREER PATHS.— 
(A) IDENTIFICATION.—The head of each executive agency shall 
ensure that appropriate career paths for personnel who desire to 
pursue careers in acquisition are identified in terms of the edu-
cation, training, experience, and assignments necessary for career 
progression to the most senior acquisition positions. The head of 
each executive agency shall make available information on those 
career paths. 
(B) CRITICAL DUTIES AND TASKS.—For each career path, the 
head of each executive agency shall identify the critical acquisition- 
related duties and tasks in which, at minimum, employees of the 
agency in the career path shall be competent to perform at full 
performance grade levels. For this purpose, the head of the execu-
tive agency shall provide appropriate coverage of the critical duties 
and tasks identified by the Director of the Federal Acquisition In-
stitute. 
(C) MANDATORY TRAINING AND EDUCATION.—For each career 
path, the head of each executive agency shall establish require-
ments for the completion of course work and related on-the-job 
training in the critical acquisition-related duties and tasks of the 
career path. The head of each executive agency also shall encour-
age employees to maintain the currency of their acquisition knowl-
edge and generally enhance their knowledge of related acquisition 
management disciplines through academic programs and other 
self-developmental activities. 
(2) PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES.—The head of each executive agency 
shall provide for an enhanced system of incentives to encourage excel-
lence in the acquisition workforce that rewards performance of employ-
ees who contribute to achieving the agency’s performance goals. The 
system of incentives shall include provisions that— 
(A) relate pay to performance (including the extent to which the 
performance of personnel in the workforce contributes to achieving 
the cost goals, schedule goals, and performance goals established 
for acquisition programs pursuant to section 3103(b) of this title); 
and 
(B) provide for consideration, in personnel evaluations and pro-
motion decisions, of the extent to which the performance of per-
sonnel in the workforce contributes to achieving the cost goals, 
schedule goals, and performance goals. 
(g) QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Administrator 
shall— 
(A) establish qualification requirements, including education re-
quirements, for— 
(i) entry-level positions in the General Schedule Con-
tracting series (GS–1102); 
(ii) senior positions in the General Schedule Contracting 
series (GS–1102); 
(iii) all positions in the General Schedule Purchasing series 
(GS–1105); and 
(iv) positions in other General Schedule series in which sig-
nificant acquisition-related functions are performed; and 
(B) prescribe the manner and extent to which the qualification 
requirements shall apply to an individual serving in a position de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) at the time the requirements are es-
tablished. 
(2) RELATIONSHIP TO REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO DEFENSE AC-
QUISITION WORKFORCE.—The Administrator shall establish qualifica-
tion requirements and make prescriptions under paragraph (1) that are 
comparable to those established for the same or equivalent positions 
pursuant to chapter 87 of title 10 with appropriate modifications. 
(3) APPROVAL OF REQUIREMENTS.—The Administrator shall submit 
any requirement established or prescription made under paragraph (1) 
to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management for approval. 
The Director is deemed to have approved the requirement or prescrip-
tion if the Director does not disapprove the requirement or prescription 
within 30 days after receiving it. 
(h) EDUCATION AND TRAINING.—