the General Schedule Contracting series (GS–1102) and
the General Schedule Purchasing series (GS–1105), and
to any employees regardless of series who have been ap-
pointed as contracting officers whose authority exceeds the
micro-purchase threshold, as that term is defined in sec-
tion 32(g). The head of each executive agency may include
employees in other series who perform acquisition or ac-
quisition-related functions.
‘‘(f) CAREER DEVELOPMENT.—
‘‘(1) CAREER PATHS.—The head of each execu-
tive agency shall ensure that appropriate career
paths for personnel who desire to pursue careers in
acquisition are identified in terms of the education,
training, experience, and assignments necessary for
career progression to the most senior acquisition po-
sitions. The head of each executive agency shall
make information available on such career paths.
‘‘(2) 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 agen-
cy in the career path shall be competent to perform
at full performance grade levels. For this purpose,
the head of the executive agency shall provide appro-
priate coverage of the critical duties and tasks iden-
tified by the Director of the Federal Acquisition In-
stitute.
‘‘(3) 
MANDATORY
TRAINING
AND
EDU-
CATION.—For each career path, the head of each ex-
ecutive agency shall establish requirements 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 shall also encourage employees to maintain
the currency of their acquisition knowledge and gen-
erally enhance their knowledge of related acquisition
management disciplines through academic programs
and other self-developmental activities.
‘‘(4) PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES.—The head of
each executive agency, acting through the senior
procurement executive for the agency, shall provide
for an enhanced system of incentives for the encour-
agement of excellence in the acquisition workforce
which rewards performance of employees that con-
tribute to achieving the agency’s performance goals.
‘‘(g) QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) GENERAL
SCHEDULE
CONTRACTING
SE-
RIES (GS–1102).—
‘‘(A) ENTRY
LEVEL
QUALIFICATIONS.—
The Director of the Office of Personnel Man-
agement shall require that, after October 1,
1996, a person may not be appointed to a posi-
tion in the GS–1102 occupational series unless
the person—
‘‘(i) has received a baccalaureate de-
gree from an accredited educational insti-
tution authorized to grant baccalaureate
degrees,
‘‘(ii) has completed at least 24 semes-
ter credit hours (or the equivalent) of
study from an accredited institution of
higher education in any of the following
disciplines: accounting, business finance,
law, contracts, purchasing, economics, in-
dustrial management, marketing, quan-
titative methods, or organization and man-
agement, or
‘‘(iii) has passed a written test deter-
mined by the Administrator for Federal
Procurement Policy, after consultation
with the Director of the Office of Person-
nel Management, to demonstrate the
judgmental skills necessary for positions in
this series.
‘‘(B) QUALIFICATIONS FOR SENIOR CON-
TRACTING POSITIONS.—The Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management shall require
that, after October 1, 1996, persons may be ap-
pointed to positions at and above full perform-
ance grade levels in the GS–1102 occupational
series only if those persons—
‘‘(i) have satisfied the educational re-
quirement either of subsection (g)(1)(A)(i)
or subsection (g)(1)(A)(ii),
‘‘(ii) have successfully completed all
training required for the position under
subsection (f)(3), and
‘‘(iii) have satisfied experience and
other requirements established by the Di-
rector for such positions.
However, this requirement shall apply to per-
sons employed on October 1, 1996, in GS–1102
positions at those grade levels only as a pre-
requisite for promotion to a GS–1102 position
at a higher grade.
‘‘(2) GENERAL SCHEDULE PURCHASING SERIES
(GS–1105).—The Director of the Office of Personnel
Management shall require that, after October 1,
1996, a person may not be appointed to a position
in the GS–1105 occupational series unless the per-
son—
‘‘(A) has successfully completed 2 years of
course work from an accredited educational in-
stitution authorized to grant degrees, or
‘‘(B) has passed a written test determined
by the Administrator for Federal Procurement
Policy, after consultation with the Director of
the Office of Personnel Management, to dem-
onstrate the judgmental skills necessary for po-
sitions in this series.
‘‘(3) CONTRACTING
OFFICERS.—The head of
each executive agency shall require that, beginning
after October 1, 1996, a person may be appointed
as a contracting officer with authority to award or
administer contracts for amounts above the micro-
purchase threshold, as that term is defined in sec-
tion 32(g), only if the person—
‘‘(A) has successfully completed all manda-
tory training required of an employee in an
equivalent GS–1102 or 1105 position under
subsection (f)(3); and
‘‘(B) meets experience and other require-
ments established by the head of the agency,
based on the dollar value and complexity of the
contracts that the employee will be authorized
to award or administer under the appointment
as a contracting officer.
‘‘(4) EXCEPTIONS.—(A) The requirements set
forth in subsection (g) (1) and (2), as applicable,
shall not apply to any person employed in the GS–
1101 or GS–1105 series on October 1, 1996.
‘‘(B) Employees of an executive agency who do
not satisfy the full qualification requirements for ap-
pointment as a contracting officer under subsection
(g)(3) may be appointed as a contracting officer for
a temporary period of time under procedures estab-
lished by the agency head. The procedures shall—
‘‘(i) require that the person have completed
a significant portion of the required training,
‘‘(ii) require a plan be established for the
balance of the required training,
‘‘(iii) specify a period of time for comple-
tion of the training, and
‘‘(iv) include provisions for withdrawing or
terminating the appointment prior to the sched-
uled expiration date, where appropriate.
‘‘(5) WAIVER.—The senior procurement execu-
tive for an executive agency may waive any or all of
the qualification requirements of subsection (g) (1)
and (2) for a person if the person possesses signifi-
cant potential for advancement to levels of greater
responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated
job performance and qualifying experience. This au-
thority may not be redelegated by the senior pro-
curement executive. With respect to each waiver
granted under this subsection, the senior procure-
ment executive shall set forth in writing the ration-
ale for the decision to waive such requirements.
‘‘(h) PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTA-
TION.—
‘‘(1) FUNDING LEVELS.—The head of an execu-
tive agency shall request in the budget for the agen-
cy an amount equal to no less than 2.5 percent of
the base aggregate salary cost of the acquisition
workforce subject to this section, for education and
training under this section. The head of the execu-
tive agency shall set forth separately the funding lev-
els requested in the budget justification documents
submitted in support of the President’s budget sub-
mitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31,
United States Code. Funds appropriated for edu-
cation and training under this section may not be
obligated or used for any other purpose.
‘‘(2) INTERAGENCY
AGREEMENTS.—The head
of an executive agency may enter into a written
agreement with another agency to participate in pro-
grams established under this section on a reimburs-
able basis.
‘‘(3) TUITION
ASSISTANCE.—Notwithstanding
the prohibition in section 4107(b) of title 5, United
States Code, the head of each executive agency may
provide for tuition reimbursement and education (in-
cluding a full-time course of study leading to a de-
gree) for acquisition personnel in the agency related
to the purposes of this section.
‘‘(4) INTERN PROGRAMS.—The head of each ex-
ecutive agency may establish intern programs in
order to recruit highly qualified and talented individ-
uals and provide them with opportunities for acceler-
ated promotions, career broadening assignments,
and specified training for advancement to senior ac-
quisition positions. For such programs, the head of
an executive agency, without regard to the provisions
of title 5, United States Code, may appoint individ-
uals to competitive GS–5, GS–7, or GS–9 positions
in the General Schedule Contracting series (GS–
1102) who have graduated from baccalaureate or
master’s programs in purchasing or contracting
from accredited educational institutions authorized
to grant baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
‘‘(5) COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
PROGRAM.—
The head of each executive agency may establish an
agencywide cooperative education credit program for
acquisition positions. Under the program, the head
of the executive agency may enter into cooperative
arrangements with one or more accredited institu-
tions of higher education which provide for such in-
stitutions to grant undergraduate credit for work
performed in such position.
‘‘(6) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—Where deemed
appropriate, the head of each executive agency
may establish a scholarship program for the
purpose of qualifying individuals for acquisition
positions in the agency.
‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to par-
ticipate in a scholarship program established
under this paragraph by an executive agency,
an individual must—
‘‘(i) be accepted for enrollment or be
currently enrolled as a full-time student at
an accredited educational institution au-
thorized to grant baccalaureate or grad-
uate degrees (as appropriate);
‘‘(ii) be pursuing a course of edu-
cation that leads toward completion of a
bachelor’s, master’s, or doctor’s degree (as
appropriate) in a qualifying field of study,
as determined by the head of the agency;
‘‘(iii) sign an agreement described in
subparagraph (C) under which the partici-
pant agrees to serve a period of obligated
service in the agency in an acquisition po-
sition in return for payment of educational
assistance as provided in the agreement;
and
‘‘(iv) meet such other requirements as
the head of the agency prescribes.
‘‘(C) AGREEMENT.—An agreement be-
tween the head of an executive agency and a
participant in a scholarship program established
under this paragraph shall be in writing, shall
be signed by the participant, and shall include
the following provisions:
‘‘(i) The agreement of the head of the
agency to provide the participant with edu-
cational assistance for a specified number
of school years, not to exceed 4, during
which the participant is pursuing a course
of education in a qualifying field of study.
The assistance may include payment of
tuition, fees, books, laboratory expenses,
and a stipend.
‘‘(ii) The participant’s agreement—
‘‘(I) to accept such educational
assistance,
‘‘(II) to maintain enrollment and
attendance in the course of education
until completed,
‘‘(III) while enrolled in such
course, to maintain an acceptable level
of academic standing (as prescribed
by the head of the agency), and
‘‘(IV) after completion of the
course of education, to serve as a full-
time employee in an acquisition posi-
tion in the agency for a period of time
of one calendar year for each school
year or part thereof for which the par-
ticipant was provided a scholarship
under the program.
‘‘(D) REPAYMENT.—(i) Any person partici-
pating in a program established under this
paragraph shall agree to pay to the United
States the total amount of educational assist-
ance provided to the person under the program
if the person is voluntarily separated from the
agency or involuntarily separated for cause
from the agency before the end of the period for
which the person has agreed to continue in the
service of the agency in an acquisition position.
‘‘(ii) If an employee fails to fulfill the
agreement to pay to the Government the total
amount of educational assistance provided to
the person under the program, a sum equal to
the amount of the educational assistance may
be recovered by the Government from the em-
ployee (or the estate of the employee) by setoff
against accrued pay, compensation, amount of
retirement credit, or other amount due the em-
ployee from the Government; and by such other
method as is provided by law for the recovery
of amounts owing to the Government.
‘‘(iii) The head of an executive agency may
waive in whole or in part a repayment required
under this paragraph if the head of the agency
determines the recovery would be against equity
and good conscience or would be contrary to the
best interests of the United States.
‘‘(E) TERMINATION
OF
AGREEMENT.—
There shall be no requirement that a position
be offered to a person after such person suc-
cessfully completes a course of education re-
quired by an agreement under this paragraph.
If no position is offered, the agreement shall be
considered terminated.’’.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL ACQUISITION INSTITUTE.
Section 6 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy
Act (41 U.S.C. 405), is amended—
(1) in subsection (d) by amending paragraph
(5) to read as follows:
‘‘(5) providing for and directing the activities of
the Federal Acquisition Institute (including rec-
ommending to the Administrator of General Services
a sufficient budget for such activities), which shall
be located in the General Services Administration;’’;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(l) The Federal Acquisition Institute shall—
‘‘(1) recommend policies, procedures, and
guidelines to the Administrator, for—
‘‘(A) fostering and promoting the develop-
ment of a professional acquisition workforce
governmentwide, and
‘‘(B) administering the provisions of sec-
tion 35;
‘‘(2) collect data and analyze acquisition
workforce data from the Office of Personnel Man-
agement, the heads of executive agencies, and,
through periodic surveys, from individual employees;
‘‘(3) periodically analyze acquisition career
fields to identify critical competencies, duties, tasks,
and related academic prerequisites, skills, and
knowledge;
‘‘(4) coordinate and assist agencies in identify-
ing and recruiting highly qualified candidates for ac-
quisition fields;
‘‘(5) develop instructional materials for acquisi-
tion personnel in coordination with private and pub-
lic acquisition colleges and training facilities;
‘‘(6) evaluate the effectiveness of training and
career development programs for acquisition person-
nel;
‘‘(7) promote the establishment and utilization
of academic programs by colleges and universities in
acquisition fields;
‘‘(8) promote, coordinate, or conduct govern-
mentwide research and studies to improve the acqui-
sition process and the laws, policies, methods, regu-
lations, procedures, and forms relating to acquisition
by the executive agencies;
‘‘(9) facilitate, to the extent requested by agen-
cies, interagency intern and training programs; and
‘‘(10) perform other career management or re-
search functions as directed by the Administrator.’’.
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED PROVISION.
Section 502 of the Small Business and Federal Pro-
curement Competition Enhancement Act of 1984 (41
U.S.C. 414a) is repealed.
Æ
HR 1770 IH——2