chasing positions at the same grade level
established under paragraph (1)(A); and
‘‘(IV) such additional requirements,
based on the dollar value, nature, and com-
plexity of the contracts awarded or admin-
istered pursuant to the appointment, as
may be established by the Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulation or the head of the agency
for the appointment.
‘‘(B)(i) The head of the executive agency may
waive any of the requirements in subparagraph (A)
(except those contained in qualifications standards
approved by the Office of Personnel Management
under subsection (g)(3)) with respect to an employee
of the agency if the agency head determines that the
employee possesses significant potential for advance-
ment to levels of greater responsibility and author-
ity, based on demonstrated job performance and
qualifying experience.
‘‘(ii) The head of the agency shall provide to
the administrator in writing the rationale for any de-
cision to waive such requirements.’’.
(2) Section 1724(a) of title 10, United States Code,
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(a) CONTRACTING OFFICERS.—Beginning on Octo-
ber 1, 2000, the Secretary of Defense shall require, in
order to serve as a contracting officer with authority to
award or administer contracts for amounts above the
micro-purchase threshold as specified in section 32(g) of
the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
428(f)), the following:
‘‘(1) For appointments to serve as a contracting
officer with authority to award or administer con-
tracts that do not exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold as specified in section 4(11) of the Office
of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
403(11))—
‘‘(A) completion of training in duties relat-
ed to use of the simplified acquisition proce-
dures authorized to be used by the appointment
(including any training mandated for such du-
ties by the Federal Acquisition Regulation); and
‘‘(B) such additional requirements, based
on the dollar value, nature, and complexity of
the contracts awarded or administered pursuant
to the appointment as may be established under
the Federal Acquisition Regulation or by the
Secretary of Defense for the appointment.
‘‘(2) For appointments to serve as a contracting
officer with authority to award or administer con-
tracts for amounts above the simplified acquisition
threshold as specified in section 4(11) of the Office
of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
403(11))—
‘‘(A) completion of the core curriculum es-
tablished in the Federal Acquisition Regulation
for contracting officers;
‘‘(B) at least 2 years experience in a con-
tracting or purchasing position;
‘‘(C)(i) a baccalaureate degree from an ac-
credited educational institution authorized to
grant baccalaureate degrees;
‘‘(ii) completion of at least 24 semester
credit hours (or the equivalent) of study from
an accredited institution of higher education in
accounting, business, finance, law, contracts,
purchasing, economics, industrial management,
marketing, quantitative methods, and organiza-
tion and management; or
‘‘(iii) passage of an examination considered
by the Secretary of Defense to demonstrate
skills, knowledge, or abilities comparable to that
of an individual who has completed at least 24
semester credit hours (or the equivalent) of
study from an accredited institution of higher
education in any of the disciplines listed in sub-
paragraph (ii); and
‘‘(D) such additional requirements, based
on the dollar value, nature, and complexity of
the contracts awarded or administered pursuant
to the appointment, as may be established by
the Federal Acquisition Regulation or the Sec-
retary of Defense for the appointment.’’.
(d) QUALIFICATIONS STANDARDS.—Section 1724(b)
of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new sentence: ‘‘The Secretary of De-
fense shall also require employees to meet any additional
qualification requirements established by the Adminis-
trator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy for sen-
ior contracting positions in the GS–1102 series pursuant
to section 37(g)(1)(ii) of the Office of Federal Procure-
ment Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 433(g)(1)(ii)).’’.
(e) 
CERTIFICATION
EXAMINATIONS.—Section
1732(c)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended
by striking ‘‘is serving’’ and all that follows through ‘‘if
the employee’’.
(f) COURSEWORK TUITION.—Section 37(h)(2) of the
Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
433(h)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘in accordance with’’
and inserting ‘‘notwithstanding the provisions of’’.
(g) ACCELERATED PROMOTIONS.—Section 37 of the
Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 433)
is further amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(i) RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTIONS.—
‘‘(1) RECRUITMENT.—(A) For purposes of sec-
tions 3304, 5333, and 5753 of title 5, United States
Code, the head of an agency (including the Secretary
of Defense) may determine that certain Federal ac-
quisition positions are ‘shortage category’ positions
in order to recruit and directly hire employees with
unusually high qualifications, such as employees
who—
‘‘(i) hold masters or equivalent degrees
from accredited institutions of higher education
in business administration, public administra-
tion, or systems engineering; or
‘‘(ii) have had substantial, outstanding pri-
vate sector experience with commercial acquisi-
tion practices, terms, and conditions.
‘‘(B) Personnel actions under this paragraph
shall be subject to policies prescribed by the Office
of Personnel Management for direct recruitment, in-
cluding the appointment of a preference eligible as
long as preference eligibles are available who satisfy
the stipulated high level of qualifications.
‘‘(2) ACCELERATED
PROMOTIONS.—(A) The
Director of the Office of Personnel Management
shall authorize the rapid promotion of Federal ac-
quisition personnel (including personnel in the De-
partment of Defense) who satisfactorily complete
programs of training and education required by the
Federal Acquisition Regulation for positions at high-
er General Schedule grade levels in their respective
fields and otherwise meet or exceed standards for
satisfactory performance.
‘‘(B) The heads of agencies may provide any
such personnel with a maximum of 2 promotions
during any 52-week period.
‘‘(C) No employee may be promoted under this
paragraph without adherence to competition require-
ments under law or regulation.’’.
SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ACQUISITION WORKFORCE
TRAINING.
(a) ADMINISTRATOR FOR FEDERAL PROCUREMENT
POLICY.—Section 6(d) of the Office of Federal Procure-
ment Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 405) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(12);
(2) in paragraph (13), by striking the period
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(14) establishing requirements for acquisition
professionals to obtain and maintain certification by
a relevant professional association or other entities
as authorized in the Federal Acquisition Regula-
tion.’’.
(b) FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATORY COUN-
CIL.—Section 25(d) of the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 421(d)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(2);
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(2) review, approve, and promulgate in the
Federal Acquisition Regulation certification require-
ments, core curricula, continuing education pro-
grams, and policy implementation training rec-
ommended by the Director of the Federal Acquisi-
tion Institute under section 6(d)(5)(F) and (J) to
ensure that instructional materials provided for the
Federal acquisition workforce accurately incorporate
the provisions and intent of the Federal Acquisition
Regulation and are effective in providing the skills
and knowledge necessary to competently implement
those provisions and otherwise enable the workforce
to obtain the best value in awarding and administer-
ing Federal contracts.’’.
(c) FEDERAL
ACQUISITION
INSTITUTE.—Section
6(d) of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41
U.S.C. 405(d)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (5)(B), by inserting ‘‘, and
provide fellowships and grants for researching acqui-
sition issues’’ before the period;
(2) by amending paragraph (5)(F) to read as
follows:
‘‘(F) develop and recommend core curric-
ula, continuing education programs, policy im-
plementation training, and other instructional
materials for acquisition personnel in coordina-
tion with private and public sector acquisition
colleges and training facilities (to the maximum
extent practicable), and integrate those instruc-
tional materials with electronic performance
support systems for just-in-time delivery of ini-
tial and continuing education in critical duties
and tasks).’’;
(3) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (I);
(4) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as sub-
paragraph (K); and
(5) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph:
‘‘(J) enter into partnerships with private
and public sector employers of acquisition per-
sonnel and with nonprofit professional associa-
tions in developing and maintaining valid and
reliable professional certification programs for
acquisition disciplines; and’’.
SEC. 5. FUNDING FOR ACQUISITION WORKFORCE TRAIN-
ING AND EDUCATION.
Section 37(h) of the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 433) is amended—
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(1) FUNDING
LEVELS.—(A)(i) The head of
each executive agency shall be responsible for ensur-
ing adequate funding is included in budget requests
of the agency and for ensuring any funds provided
for the education and training of the acquisition
workforce are expended for such purposes.
‘‘(ii) In requesting funding as a part of the
budget request of the agency, the agency head shall
take into consideration the results of the assessment
of the performance of the procurement system of the
agency in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness in
supporting the agency in accomplishing its mission,
including the adequacy of the education and training
of the acquisition workforce and whether the work-
force has the necessary competencies, skills, and
knowledge to effectively support the achievement of
the mission of the agency.
‘‘(B) The Administrator shall—
‘‘(i) review the agency budget requests to
assess the adequacy of funding levels for the
education and training of the acquisition work-
force and make recommendations to the agency
head for adjustments of the funding levels, as
appropriate;
‘‘(ii) include sufficient funds in the budget
recommended to the Administrator of General
Services for the Federal Acquisition Institute in
accordance with section 6(d)(5) for the develop-
ment and maintenance of the instructional ma-
terials for the core curricula, policy implementa-
tion training, and for the development of tech-
nology-based learning tools and support systems
that will benefit the acquisition workforce
across the Federal Government;
‘‘(iii) prepare a report for inclusion in the
President’s annual budget on the amounts re-
quested by agencies in terms of adequacy for
accomplishing the purposes of this section, and
for maintaining an efficient and effective acqui-
sition system (including information on rec-
ommended funding levels for the Federal Acqui-
sition Institute);
‘‘(iv) in preparing the report under clause
(iii), and after consulting with the head of each
affected executive agency, recommend any ap-
propriate consolidation of funding for inter-
agency acquisition training and education pro-
grams and provide information on actual out-
lays in prior fiscal years for acquisition training
and education along with an evaluation of the
effectiveness of those programs in providing the
workforce with the necessary competencies,
skills, and knowledge.
‘‘(C) The President shall include the report in
the annual budget submitted pursuant to section
1105 of title 31, United States Code.’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(3) 
PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS.—Not-
withstanding section 4109(b) of title 5, United
States Code, the head of an executive agency may
pay membership fees and fees for certification test-
ing for individual employees to organizations to fur-
ther acquisition professionalism.’’.
SEC. 6. EVALUATION BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL.
The Comptroller General shall conduct an independ-
ent evaluation of the actions taken by executive agencies
to carry out the requirements of section 37 of the Office
of Federal Procurement Policy Act. On or before February
10, 2000, the Comptroller General shall submit to the
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate a report on the evaluation
required by this section. Such report shall include—
(1) an analysis of the effectiveness of the ac-
tions taken by executive agencies to carry out such
requirements; and
(2) any legislative and administrative rec-
ommendations that the Comptroller General consid-
ers appropriate to meet the objectives of that sec-
tion.
SEC. 7. FUNDING.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Funds described in subsection
(b) may be transferred to an account of the Office of Man-
agement and Budget for use by the Administrator of the
Office of Federal Procurement Policy for the purpose of
administering Governmentwide acquisition workforce
training activities and related purposes consistent with the
objectives of the Office of Management and Budget.
(2) The specific amounts to be transferred under this
section shall be determined jointly by the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget and the head of the
applicable department or agency.
(3) Funds transferred under this section shall remain
available for obligation until expended.
(b) FUNDS AVAILABLE
FOR TRANSFER.—Funds
available for transfer under this section are funds appro-
priated for fiscal year 1993 or a subsequent fiscal year.
(c) LIMITATIONS.—(1) Funds may be transferred
under this section not later than the end of the fifth fiscal
year after the fiscal year for which funds are appropriated
or otherwise made available.
(2) The aggregate amount to be transferred in any
fiscal year under this section shall not exceed the lesser
of—
(A) the amount that is 20 percent of the unob-
ligated balance of funds appropriated for operating
expenses and salary and other expenses available to
each department and agency during the fiscal year
for which the funds are appropriated; or
(B) $30,000,000.
(3) Funds transferred under this section shall only
be made available if—
(A) the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget notifies the Chairmen of the Committees
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate of the proposed transfer of such
funds; and
(B) 30 days have elapsed following the date of
such notification.
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