Display Related Directives to this directive.
Display Reference Documents to this directive.

U.S. Department of Energy ORDER
Washington, D.C. DOE O 361.1A

Approved: 4-19-04

This directive was reviewed and certified as current and necessary by James T. Campbell, Acting
Director, Office of Management, Budget and Evaluation/Acting Chief Financial Officer, 9-11-2003.

SUBJECT: ACQUISITION CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

1. OBJECTIVES.

a. To set forth requirements and responsibilities for the Department of Energy
(DOE)/National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Acquisition Career
Development (ACD) Program, which implements Office of Federal Procurement
Policy (OFPP) requirements, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements,
Federal Acquisition Reform Act (FARA) requirements, and the career
development objectives of Executive Order (E.O.) 12931, “Federal Procurement
Reform,” dated October 13, 1994.

b. To establish training and certification requirements and career development
programs for the acquisition workforce, thereby establishing the common
foundation of knowledge, tools, and capabilities necessary to fulfill the needs and
expectations of the DOE/NNSA community for a highly skilled acquisition
workforce.

c. To establish a means for providing continuity of effective acquisition
management and support of our customers.

d. To establish this Order as the overarching Directive governing training and career
development for the newly defined acquisition workforce.

e. To ensure uniformity in policy for each element of the ACD Program.

f. To convey the following acquisition training modules:

(1) Contracting and Purchasing Career Development Program Module
(Chapter I),

(2) Personal Property Management Career Development Program Module
(Chapter II),

(3) Financial Assistance Career Development Program Module (Chapter III),

(4) Project Management Career Development Program Module (Chapter IV),

(5) Program Management Career Development Program Module (Chapter V,
currently reserved),

(6) Contractor Human Resource Management Career Development Program
Module (Chapter VI, currently reserved),

(7) Contracting Officer/Contracting Officer Representative Training
Requirements (Chapter 7), and

(8) Continuous Learning/Continuing Education Guidance (Chapter 8).

2. CANCELLATIONS.

a. This Order cancels DOE O 361.1, Acquisition Career Development Program,
dated 11-10-99. Cancellation of an Order does not, by itself, modify or otherwise
affect any contractual obligation to comply with the Order. Cancelled Orders that
are incorporated by reference in a contract remain in effect until the contract is
modified to delete the references to the requirements in the cancelled Orders.

b. This Order cancels and supersedes Acquisition Letter 2003-05, dated September
10, 2003.

3. APPLICABILITY.

a. Primary DOE Organizations, Including NNSA Organizations. Except for the
exclusions in paragraph 3c, this Order applies to all Primary DOE Organizations
(see Attachment 1 for a complete list of Primary DOE Organizations). This Order
automatically applies to Primary DOE Organizations created after it is issued.
Note that only the NNSA Administrator can direct NNSA employees. Wherever
this Order gives direction to NNSA employees, it should be understood that this
direction is provided only for the convenience of the Administrator and is not
intended to assume or replace the authority of the Administrator’s direction.

b. Contractors. The requirements of this Order do not apply to DOE/NNSA
contractors.

c. Exclusions. This Order does not apply to the Bonneville Power Administration.
Waivers to certification requirements set forth in this Order must be obtained in
accordance with the applicable program module.

4. REQUIREMENTS.

a. Certification requirements must be applied as indicated in the appropriate
program module. (See Chapters 1 through 8.)

b. The core curriculum must contain the following elements:

(1) specific accredited courses that must be passed before employees are
eligible for higher-level certification and

(2) a mechanism to ensure completion of core courses in a logical sequence so
that the appropriate level of knowledge is available for performance at a
particular level and so that later courses can build on the knowledge
gained in earlier offerings.

c. DOE and NNSA core courses required for certification at each level in each
functional area are indicated in the appropriate program module. (See Chapters 1
through 8.)

d. Priority for training spaces must be given to employees in the following order:

(1) employees in positions for which the training is required by law,

(2) employees in positions for which the training is established as mandatory
by this Order and who need the training to qualify for the positions they
currently occupy,

(3) employees who need the training to become eligible for the next higher
career level and who have completed mandatory training for the positions
they currently occupy,

(4) employees who are training for new assignments,

(5) employees for whom the training requirement is “desired/elective,” and

(6) employees who are not required to attend the training.

e. DOE/NNSA must provide for the present by ensuring that the existing workforce
has the training and experience needed, both to remain current in a dynamic
acquisition profession and to prepare for leadership roles in the future.
Accordingly, field element managers (FEMs) must ensure that existing
acquisition staff and managers receive “refresher” training as needed to comply
with this Order and to keep current on emerging acquisition requirements,
policies, issues, and techniques (see paragraph 7v for FEM definition). This may
include, but is not limited to, DOE-sponsored training and management/executive
seminars, including DOE online learning center and distance learning from the
Department of Defense (DoD), the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), and other
providers; special jobs and/or professional association-related projects; and/or
participation in seminars/workshops, or other appropriate developmental
assignments.

f. To maintain currency of knowledge and skills, individuals in the acquisition
workforce who have satisfied the mandatory training requirements will obtain
continuous learning (CL)/continuing education (CE) as specified in each program
module. (See Chapters 1 through 7.) Guidance on CL/CE is contained in
Chapter 8.

g. A specific certification path has been established for each position, including
training and experience, which the incumbent must meet for that career level
(i.e., Level I, II, III, or IV).

h. Each Federal agency’s “certifications” are currently limited to that Agency itself;
for example, a Level III certification at DOE or NNSA will not automatically
result in a Level III certification outside DOE or NNSA. In reaching decisions as
to the appropriate career level for an individual, DOE will review the individual
employee’s education, training profile, and experience and may or may not reach
the same conclusions as other Agencies as to the use of experience or alternative
courses in lieu of core courses.

i. All acquisition workforce members must meet all requirements for certification at
their current levels before being assigned to positions requiring the next higher
level of certification. For example, an employee at the GS-7 level, a Level I
position under the Contracting and Purchasing Career Development (CPCD)
(contracting) Program, cannot be promoted to GS-9, a Level II position, without
having completed the certification requirements for Level I.

j. If a potential assignee to a vacant position in the next higher level has not met the
requirements for certification at that level, the FEM must qualify him or her to
meet the requirements within the specified amount of time (see individual
program modules/chapters in this Order) or justify a waiver from them. For
example, under the CPCD (contracting) Program, a GS-7 (Level I) promoted to
GS-9 (Level II) has 18 months to complete all Level II requirements.

k. An individual certified at a particular level will retain that certification regardless
of any new requirements made effective thereafter unless Congress enacts a
statutory requirement for a new education or training standard and designates it as
“continuing education and training.”

(1) Individuals must complete new requirements of this kind within
36 months.

(2) Failure to complete new requirements, or to justify a waiver, will result in
loss of certification.

l. All requests for waivers to the certification requirements must be sent to the
career manager identified in the appropriate program module, must be in writing,
and must describe how disapproval would affect the organization and the course
of action being taken to rectify the situation.

m. Normal pathways for career progression include both vertical and lateral
movement. Lateral movement within and between career fields is highly
encouraged, primarily at the intermediate level, to broaden the experience base of
the individual. This can be done through rotational assignments.

(1) Multispecialty experience for most upper-level positions is desirable and
is particularly important for those who strive for senior-level and other key
acquisition positions. To obtain this experience, the individual should
strive to get work assignments and training in more than one of the
functional areas of acquisition.

(a) In addition to multispecialty experience, a mixture of operational
and staff experience will strengthen an individual’s competitive
position when seeking high-level positions in acquisition career
fields.

(b) Operations and field offices are encouraged to provide
multispecialty experience through structured programs necessary
for career progression to the most senior acquisition positions.

(2) Experience in industry to gain a perspective on contracting in the private
sector, to share lessons learned, and to bring back best practices is highly
desirable. These opportunities are available through the ACD DOE
“Masters” and Top XX Programs.

n. Completion of mandatory training by “fulfillment” generally will occur in one of
three ways: an employee is at a career level above the level at which the training
is mandatory, an employee has been at the full performance level of a career field
for a substantial period of time and is performing at a more-than-satisfactory
level, or an employee has received training equivalent to that required by the core
curriculum. That is, if a person is in a Level III position and has been performing
satisfactorily, and can demonstrate that he/she has the competencies required at
Level III, he/she can apply to obtain certification based on that experience, rather
than take the training.

(1) If, given one of these situations, the FEM and the employee believe that
the employee does not need to attend the mandatory course, the FEM must
petition the appropriate career manager at DOE/NNSA Headquarters, in
writing, for course completion by fulfillment, detailing the rationale for
the request.

(2) If the career manager concurs, the cognizant FEM will be so notified.

o. A necessary component of any comprehensive career development program is an
institutionalized process of individualized career development training.
Individual development plans (IDPs) will be updated periodically to ensure
accuracy and currency. The following voluntary activities should be considered
in formulating comprehensive IDPs.

(1) Work and Developmental Activities. The work and developmental
requirements listed in each program module consist of a range of
activities. The duration of these work and developmental activities ranges
from 1 to 3 years. Acquisition professionals and their supervisors should
plan and coordinate these assignments in the IDP to ensure timely
progression to higher levels of certification.

(2) Rotational Assignments. Rotational assignments are a valuable source of
experience and opportunity for growth. They allow employees to
demonstrate their ability to apply course knowledge and skills through
on-the-job performance, indicating that they have achieved the desired
level of proficiency. In addition, rotational assignments promote a
cross-disciplinary approach to acquisition, in that way enhancing
employees’ appreciation of how the various functions contribute to the
acquisition process. These assignments are intended to assist acquisition
professionals in completing work and developmental activity requirements
and in acquiring a greater depth and breadth of experience inside and
outside of DOE/NNSA and the Federal Government.

(3) Mentoring. Mentoring is a structured agreement, either formal or
informal, between two individuals outside the normal
employee/supervisory relationship wherein the mentor provides assistance
to the participant (protégé) in his/her career development planning
process. Mentoring can provide valuable coaching and feedback
regarding career plans and choices.

(4) Professional Associations. Membership in professional associations
allows the acquisition professional to keep abreast of current topics and
trends important to job performance and can provide opportunities for an
exchange of knowledge, experiences, information, and ideas on a variety
of issues. Professional associations can also provide the acquisition
professional with sources of conferences, seminars, workshops,
video-telecasts, printed literature, research, databases, training, and other
valuable career development information and opportunities. In addition,
professional associations enable employees to meet others who have
similar interests and careers and facilitates networking opportunities.

p. Managers and employees must grow to keep pace with the Department’s
aggressive pursuit of reengineering and redesign, its evolving mission needs, and
its ever-changing budgets and staff resources. In addition, as the role of the
acquisition professional evolves, DOE/NNSA acquisition managers and their
staffs need to provide the strategic business advice and consultation needed to
support their customers, including increasing their knowledge in the acquisition of
commodities and services not previously required. If the skills and capabilities of
the DOE/NNSA workforce do not match the acquisition needs of DOE/NNSA
customers, the DOE/NNSA mission may be jeopardized.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES.

a. Senior Procurement Executive. Ensures that members of the acquisition
workforce are certified to the career levels appropriate to the grades they occupy
or to their responsibilities in accordance with this Order.

b. Career Managers. The career manager for each functional area is identified in the
appropriate program module. Functional area career managers do the following
for their respective functional areas.

(1) Establish career development policy.

(2) Ensure workforce members are certified to the required levels under their
respective career development modules.

(3) Manage development of the career development core curriculum.

(4) Identify critical acquisition-related duties and tasks in which, at a
minimum, acquisition career employees must be competent to perform at
full performance grade levels.

(5) Approve the completion of requirements and attainment of competencies
established in their respective career development modules.

(6) Track the certification status of members, providing the ACD Program
director with quarterly updates of training, developmental assignments,
and certification status.

(7) Ensure training and certification records are accumulated and maintained
in the DOE Corporate Human Resource Information System
(CHRIS)/Employee Self-Service (ESS).

(8) Ensure each workforce member’s training and certification records are
accurate and are maintained in both the DOE CHRIS/ESS and auditable
files.

(9) Track workforce members’ career paths to ensure training, developmental
activities, and developmental experiences are being provided and used in a
manner consistent with their respective career development programs.

(10) Track and report performance measures as identified and required by
senior management.

(11) Provide notification to members and their supervisors who fail to attain
certification.

(12) Review quarterly reports on CL/CE status and provide 90-day notification
to members and their supervisors of pending revocation of certifications
when CL/CE requirements for maintaining certification are not met.

(13) Unless extenuating circumstances such as illness or military service
prevent a workforce member from obtaining the required CL/CE, revoke
the member’s certification after the 90-day notification period has been
exceeded without appropriate remedial action, and notify the workforce
member’s supervisor that the certification has been revoked.

(14) Review requests for recertification after revocation of certification. (Note:
Individuals must successfully complete the CL/CE requirements contained
in each program module before applying for recertification.)

(15) Review and approve CL/CE credits and preapprove training equivalencies
for courses not specifically listed in the core training requirements.

(16) Review, evaluate, and determine the equivalency of external certifications
submitted by workforce members.

c. Director, Acquisition Career Development Program.

(1) Provides day-to-day management of all elements of the ACD Program.
(2) Issues certifications upon completion of core training.
(3) Recertifies members upon completion of required CL/CE.
(4) Establishes and maintains agreements and liaisons with public and private
sector organizations to provide members rotational assignments and
details.
(5) Conducts regular site visits of workforce members on rotational
assignments with industry.
(6) Maintains the contracting officer/contracting officer representative
database.
(7) Conducts annual complexwide demographic analyses of the acquisition
workforce to identify trends and training/developmental requirements.
(8) Maintains career development programs.
(9) Develops new career development programs, as needs arise.
(10) Issues announcements, and oversees selection process for industry
rotations.

d. Field Element Managers.
(1) Identify training needs, provide funding for training, and create plans for
acquisition workforce personnel development consistent with site mission
needs, and submit workforce development plans to career managers on an
annual basis.
(2) Create plans for development of individual acquisition workforce
personnel consistent with site- and program-mission strategic needs.
(3) Ensure acquisition workforce members develop and implement IDPs in
accordance with this Order and DOE O 360.1B, Federal Employee
Training, dated 10-11-01.
(4) Facilitate rotational assignments.
(5) Ensure that holders of Government purchase cards receive initial training
on their authorities and responsibilities sufficient to protect the interests of
the Government and 8 hours of refresher training every 3 years.
(6) Budget for and set aside appropriate funds for required training of
acquisition workforce members and payment of retention allowances to
acquisition workforce members to the extent possible.
(7) Provide funding on a per-student basis for mandatory courses in
accordance with the contracts and agreements with the training sources
approved by the appropriate career development manager.
(8) Conduct an initial structured analysis of future acquisition skills needed to
support planned or emerging program needs.
(9) Periodically assess current and projected workforce skills to ensure that a
strategic skills imbalance does not occur; identify any skill gaps, and plan
development strategies accordingly to ensure the latest acquisition
policies, approaches, and techniques are not overlooked.
(10) Conduct annual demographic studies to identify trends and workforce
composition to support mission.
(11) Ensure training and CL/CE requirements are satisfied in a timely manner
to maintain certifications, and take appropriate actions to reassign
workforce members who fail to meet the requirements.
(12) Reassign workforce members to duties not requiring certification when
their certifications are revoked for failure to obtain CL/CE.

e. Acquisition Professionals.
(1) Prepare and periodically update IDPs with the assistance and counsel of
supervisors.
(2) Submit requests for CL, external certification, and other equivalency for
career manager for approval.
(3) Meet all requirements for certification at their current levels.

6. REFERENCES.
a. OFPP Policy Letter 92-3, “Procurement Professionalism Program Policy—
Training for Contracting Personnel,” dated 6-24-92, establishes policies and a
Government-wide standard for skill-based training for the Federal acquisition
workforce. The OFPP policy letter also establishes a set of contracting
competencies and requires contracting professionals to complete course work and
related on-the-job training to attain an appropriate level of skill in each contract
management duty.
b. FAR 1.603-1 links the selection and appointment of contracting officers to OFPP
standards that require skill-based training for contracting and purchasing duties.
c. Public Law 104-106, the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, also known as the Federal
Acquisition Reform Act (FARA), amended the OFPP Act (Section 4307);
expanded OFPP responsibility to include establishing education, training, and
experience requirements for civilian agencies, comparable to those established for
the Department of Defense in 1991 by the Defense Acquisition Workforce
Improvement Act; established a new Section 37 of the OFPP Act; and
strengthened the statutory responsibility of the director of OFPP.
d. OFPP Policy Letter 97-01, “Procurement System Education, Training, and
Experience Requirements for Acquisition Personnel,” dated 9-12-97, implements
Public Law 104-106.
e. The National Performance Review directed the Federal Government to establish a
well-trained, professional, procurement workforce to keep pace with the demands
of an increasingly complex procurement process.
f. E.O. 12931, OFPP Policy Memorandum, dated October 13, 1994, “Federal
Procurement Reform,” underscores the Administration’s approach to procurement
management and requires Agencies to establish career education programs for
procurement professionals.
g. The OECM Web site at http://oecm.energy.gov provides information on the
PMCDP.
h. The OPAM professionals Web site, at http://professionals.pr.doe.gov, provides
additional information on the ACD Program.
i. The Defense Acquisition University Web site, at www.dau.mil, provides
information on course equivalencies.
j. The Federal Acquisition Institute Web site, at www.fai.gov, provides information
on available online courses.

7. DEFINITIONS.
a. Accredited Courses. Courses approved by DOE/NNSA as providing a specific
body of knowledge.
b. Acquisition. The planning, design, development, testing, contracting, production,
logistics support, and disposal of systems, equipment, facilities, supplies, or
services that are intended for use in, or support of, DOE/NNSA missions.
c. Acquisition Experience. Experience gained while assigned to an acquisition
position. Includes cooperative education and other developmental assignments,
experience in DOE/NNSA acquisition positions, and experience in comparable
positions outside of DOE/NNSA.
d. Acquisition Positions. Positions in the acquisition system with duties that fall in
an acquisition category. These positions are located both in Headquarters and
field organizations.
e. Acquisition Position Categories. Functional subsets of acquisition positions.
These subset positions include purchasing, contracting, financial assistance,
personal property management, project management, program management,
contractor human resource management, and contracting officers and contracting
officer representatives.
f. Acquisition Workforce. Permanent employees who occupy acquisition positions,
including contracting, purchasing, financial assistance, property management,
project management, program management, contractor human resource
management, contracting officers, and contracting officer representatives,
consistent with the statutory intent of Public Law 104-106.
g. Career Development. The professional development of employee potential by
integrating the capabilities, needs, interests, and aptitudes of employees in
acquisition positions through a planned, organized, and systematic method of
training and development designed to meet organizational objectives. Career
development is accomplished through a combination of work assignments, job
rotation, training, education, and self-development programs.
h. Career Levels. Categories of education, training, and experience standards that
provide a framework for potential progression in a career field. For example,
there are three career levels within the Contracting/Purchasing Career
Development Program (contracting field), (I) Entry, (II) Intermediate, and
(III) Advanced or Senior, and four within the Project Management Career
Development Program, Level 1, total project cost (TPC) of $5 to 20 million;
Level 2, TPC of $20 to $100 million; Level 3, TPC of $100 to $400 million; and
Level 4, TPC of over $400 million.
i. Career Manager. The Headquarters office director delegated responsibility for the
organizational management of the career development program for acquisition
related functions. The career managers for DOE are the deputy director, Office of
Procurement and Assistance Management, for contracting and purchasing;
director, Office of Engineering and Construction Management, for project
management; director, Program Analysis and Evaluation, for program
management; director, Office of Resource Management, for personal property
management and contractor human resource management; and director, Office of
Procurement and Assistance Policy, for financial assistance. For NNSA, the
career manager for all acquisition functions except project management is the
deputy director, Office of Procurement and Assistance Management, NNSA. For
Project Management, the career manager is the Associate Administrator for
Infrastructure and Security, NNSA.
j. Career Path. The range of opportunities at each career level and the optimum
route for vertical and horizontal progression in a career field.
k. Certification. The process through which DOE/NNSA determines that an
individual meets mandatory training and experience standards established for a
career level in the acquisition field.
l. Certification Program. A structured program of education, training, and
experience that provides a framework for attaining career levels commensurate
with positions in the acquisition field.
m. CHRIS/ESS. The Corporate Human Resource Information Service (CHRIS)
contains the DOE Employee Self Service (ESS) subsystem, an automated
Web-based system that enables DOE Federal employees to use the Internet to
view and/or update personal, payroll, and training information.
n. Continuous Learning/Continuing Education. Education, training, and experiential
opportunities for the purpose of improving or maintaining skills or to learn new
skills. This can take the form of rotational assignments, traditional classroom
training, professional association meetings, or seminars.
o. Core Courses. DOE-/NNSA-approved courses taught by approved training
providers and required as part of the core curriculum.
p. Core Curriculum. A DOE-/NNSA-approved course of study comprising
specifically identified courses required to attain a specific career level.
q. Defense Acquisition University (DAU). A consortium of Department of Defense
education and training institutions and organizations providing DOE-/
NNSA-prescribed acquisition courses for certification.
r. Elective Courses. Courses that cover functional-specific initiatives or that
provide more in-depth coverage than is offered in core courses. Electives are not
required for progression to the next higher career level.
s. Equivalent Course. A course that has been determined by the appropriate career
manager, DOE Headquarters or NNSA Headquarters, to contain the level of
knowledge that would enable individuals who take the course to perform as if
they had completed the comparable, designated, mandatory course.
t. Federal Project Director. An individual in an organization or activity who is
responsible for the management of services provided to DOE/NNSA on a specific
project, beginning at the start of design and continuing through the completion of
construction, for planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and reporting on the
status of the project. It includes developing and maintaining the project
management plan; managing project resources; establishing and implementing
management systems, including performance measurement systems; and
approving and implementing changes to project baselines.
u. Field Element. A non-Headquarters DOE organization. Field elements can be
area offices, support offices, operations offices, field offices, regional offices, or
offices located at environmental restoration, construction, or termination sites.
v. Field Element Manager. The DOE employee having overall responsibility for a
field element
w. Fulfillment. The process by which acquisition workforce members may satisfy
mandatory training requirements based on previous experience, education, and/or
alternative training successfully completed and documented based on course
competency standards and procedure. Fulfillment may be granted upon
application on a case-by-case basis.
x. Functional Area. Segments of the acquisition process responsible for a specific
area of expertise, such as contracting and purchasing, personal property
management, financial assistance, project management, program management,
and contractor human resource management.
y. Grandfathering. The granting of a certification in a career field by virtue of
incumbency in that career field. None of the certification programs covered under
this Order provide for certification based on grandfathering.
z. Head of Contracting Activities. The official who has overall responsibility for
managing a DOE element designated by the Secretary and delegated broad
authority regarding acquisition functions.
aa. Individual Development Plan. Document used to plan an employee’s education,
training, and experience needs. It should specify developmental needs as well as
those required in support of the career field position. Developing the plan is a
joint effort of the employee, supervisor, and possibly other knowledgeable
persons in the training and/or acquisition fields.
bb. Mandatory DOE/NNSA Acquisition Course. An approved course of study that
meets DOE/NNSA acquisition training requirements for a career level.
cc. NNSA Acquisition Program Manager. The individual within NNSA assigned
responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Acquisition Career
Development Program within NNSA.
dd. Personal Property Management. The development, implementation, and
administration of policies, programs, and procedures for the effective and
economical acquisition, receipt, control, storage, issue, use, physical protection,
care and maintenance, determination of requirements and maintenance of related
operating records, and disposal, as appropriate, for Government personal property
exclusive of accounting records.
ee. Program. An organized set of activities directed toward a common purpose or
goal undertaken or proposed in support of an assigned mission area. It is
characterized by a strategy for accomplishing definite objectives that identifies the
means of accomplishment, particularly in qualitative terms, with respect to
workforce, material, and facility requirements. Programs are typically made up of
technology-based activities, projects, and supporting operations.
ff. Project. In general, a unique effort that supports a program mission, having
defined start and end points, undertaken to create a product, facility, or system,
and containing interdependent activities planned to meet a common objective or
mission. Project types include planning and execution of construction,
renovation, modification, line items for maintenance and repair, environmental
restoration, decontamination and decommissioning efforts, information
technology, and large capital equipment or technology development activities.
Tasks that do not include the above elements, such as basic research, grants,
ordinary repairs, maintenance of facilities, and operations are not considered
projects.
gg. Senior Procurement Executive. The DOE senior official appointed under the
“Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act,” who is responsible for managing the
direction of the Department’s procurement system, including implementation of
unique procurement policies, regulations, and standards. In DOE, this is the
director of the Office of Procurement and Assistance Management. In NNSA,
this is the director of the Office of Procurement and Assistance Management,
NNSA.
hh. Total Estimated Cost. The gross cost of the project, including the cost of land and
land rights; engineering, design, and inspection costs; direct and indirect
construction costs; and the cost of initial equipment necessary to place the plant or
installation in operation, whether funded as operating expense or construction.
ii. Total Project Cost. All costs included in the total estimated cost of a construction
project plus the preconstruction costs such as conceptual design and research and
development, as well as the costs associated with the preoperating phase, such as
training and start up.

8. CONTACT. Questions concerning this Order should be addressed to the Acquisition
Career Development Program Office at 202-586-1140.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY:

KYLE E. McSLARROW
Deputy Secretary

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. CONTRACTING AND PURCHASING CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE
1. Introduction I-1
2. Contracting Series Qualification Standards I-1
3. Roles and Responsibilities I-1
4. Contracting and Purchasing Certification Program I-2
a. Level I—Entry I-2
b. Level II—Intermediate I-2
c. Level III—Advanced I-3
5. Core and Desired/Elective Career Path Curriculum I-3
a. DOE Core Curriculum I-3
b. NNSA Core Curriculum I-3
c. Elective Courses I-3
d. Alternate Education and Training Methods I-4
6. Continuous Learning (CL)/Continuing Education (CE) I-4
7. Promotions and Contracting Officer Warrants I-4
8. Relation to Other Acquisition Workforce Programs I-5
Appendix A. Levels I, II, and III Mandatory and Desired/Elective Courses
Description of Courses A-1
GS-1102 Series A-1
GS-1105 Series A-4

CHAPTER II. PERSONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAREER
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MODULE
1. Introduction II-1
2. Personal Property Management Field II-1
3. Roles and Responsibilities II-1
4. Personal Property Management Career Development Program II-1
5. Core Carreer Path Curriculum II-1
6. Property Management Appointments II-2
7. Continuous Learning (CL)/Continuing Education (CE) II-2

CONTENTS (continued)

Appendix A. Core and Desired Courses A-1
Core Courses A-1
Desired Courses A-3

CHAPTER III. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
MODULE
1. Introduction III-1
2. Financial Assistance Qualification Standards III-1
3. Roles and Responsibilities III-1
4. Financial Assistance Certification Program III-2
5. Career Path Curriculum III-2
6. Continuous Learning (CL)/Continuing Education (CE) III-2
7. Relation to Other Acquisition Workforce Programs III-3
Appendix A. Financial Assistance Career Development and Certification
Curriculum A-1

CHAPTER IV. PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE
1. Objectives IV-1
2. Background IV-1
3. Applicability IV-1
a. Primary DOE Organizations, Including NNSA Organizations IV-1
b. Contractors IV-2
c. Exclusions IV-2
4. Requirements IV-2
5. Responsibilities IV-3
a. Program Secretarial Officers and Field Element Managers IV-3
b. Field Element Managers IV-6
c. Director, Office of Engineering and Construction Management IV-6
d. Director, Office of Human Resources IV-8
e. Certified Project Directors IV-8
Appendix A. DOE Project Management Career Development Program A-1
CONTENTS (continued)

Background A-1
DOE Project Management Certification A-1
Training Requirements A-6
Individual Development Plans A-7
Career Path Promotions A-8
Recruiting and Retaining DOE Federal Project Directors A-9

CHAPTER V. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
MODULE (RESERVED)
CHAPTER VI. CONTRACTOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CAREER
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MODULE (RESERVED)
CHAPTER VII. CONTRACTING OFFICER/CONTRACTING OFFICER
REPRESENTATIVE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
1. Introduction VII-1
2. Contracting Officer/Contracting Officer Representative
Qualification Standards VII-1
3. Roles and Responsibilities VII-1
4. Types of Warrants and Delegations VII-1
a. Contracting Officers VII-1
b. Contracting Officer Representatives VII-2
5. Contracting Officer/Contracting Officer Representative Curriculum VII-3
6. Continuous Learning (CL)/Continuing Education (CE) VII-7
7. Contracting Officer Warrant Requirements VII-7

CHAPTER VIII. CONTINUOUS LEARNING/CONTINUING EDUCATION
GUIDANCE
1. Background VIII-1
2. Continuous Learning/Continuing Education Purpose VIII-1
3. Documentation and Verification VIII-1
Appendix A. Guidelines for Crediting Continuous Learning Activities A-1
Appendix B. Acquisition Career Development Business and Business
Related Course Work B-1
CONTENTS (continued)

Appendix C. Continuous Learning Documentation C-1

ATTACHMENT 1. PRIMARY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ORGANIZATIONS TO
WHICH DOE O 361.1A IS APPLICABLE

CHAPTER I. CONTRACTING AND PURCHASING CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE

1. INTRODUCTION. The intent of the Contracting and Purchasing Career Development
(CPCD) Program is to establish new performance expectations to increase
contracting/purchasing personnel efficiency and effectiveness on the job and potentially
enhance personnel opportunities in the job market. This chapter provides supplementary
information and guidelines for Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) contracting/purchasing personnel to plan their career
development to become more competitive for higher-level acquisition positions both
inside and outside DOE/NNSA.

2. CONTRACTING SERIES QUALIFICATION STANDARDS. The Federal Acquisition
Reform Act gave to the Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the
responsibility for establishing qualification requirements for acquisition workforce
positions in non-Department of Defense (non-DoD) Agencies. The new qualification
standards are comparable to those established for DoD positions in 1990 by the Defense
Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. For the GS-1102-05 through GS-1102-12
levels, either a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution (with a
major in any field) or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following
fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics,
industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and
management. Personnel at the GS-1102-13 level and higher must have a baccalaureate
degree in business or a baccalaureate in any field supplemented by at least 24 semester
hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law,
contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative
methods, or organization and management. More complete information regarding the
requirements established by the Office of Personnel Management can be found at
www.opm.gov.

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Within DOE, overall responsibility for the CPCD
Program rests with the senior procurement executive, while organizational management
has been delegated to the deputy director of the Office of Procurement and Assistance
Management, DOE Headquarters, who serves as the DOE “procurement career
manager.” The day-to-day management, including design and content of the curriculum
and administration of the program, has been delegated to the director, Acquisition Career
Development (ACD) Program. Within NNSA, overall responsibility for the CPCD
Program rests with the NNSA senior procurement executive, while organizational
management has been delegated to the deputy director, Office of Procurement and
Assistance Management, NNSA Headquarters, who serves as the NNSA procurement
career manager. The day-to-day management, including design and content of the
curriculum and administration of the program has been delegated to the NNSA
Acquisition Program manager.

Individual procurement professionals are ultimately responsible for their own career
progression and development, in conjunction with supervisory career guidance and
opportunities presented for career growth. In planning their careers, individuals should
actively seek training and growth opportunities. They should also consider requesting
increasingly difficult and challenging assignments, entering mentoring relationships,
becoming involved with professional societies, seeking education and training outside the
CPCD curriculum, and taking other courses offered by DOE/NNSA.

4. CONTRACTING AND PURCHASING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. Three
proficiency levels—Levels I, II, and III—have been established covering training,
experience, and education requirements. The three levels are outlined below.

Certification Levels for Contracting (1102) and Purchasing (1105) Personnel
1102 Series Certification Levels
Grade
Level I—Entry
GS-05 through GS-07
Level II—Intermediate
GS-09 through GS-12
Level III—Advanced
GS-13 and above
1105 Series Certification Levels
Grade
Level I—Entry
GS-05
Level II—Intermediate
GS-06 through GS-08
Level III—Advanced
GS-09 and above

The following guidelines describe what is expected of contracting and purchasing
personnel at each career level.

a. Level I—Entry. Entry-level training requirements are designed to establish
fundamental qualifications and expertise in an individual’s job series or career
field. Development at the entry level lays the foundation for career progression
and prepares qualified and motivated personnel for positions of increasing
responsibility.

At the entry level, trainees should be exposed to fundamental procurement
procedures and the roles of various support functions, such as pricing, property
administration, quality assurance, etc. In addition to participation in education
and training courses, it is extremely beneficial to rotate new trainees through
structured, on-the-job assignments among a variety of functional offices.

b. Level II—Intermediate. The intermediate level emphasizes specialization.
Development continues, including on-the-job rotational assignments, but the
length of time an individual spends in each position generally increases. While
specialization is emphasized at the beginning of this level, the individual should
later begin to broaden his/her background and gain more general expertise in the
overall process of his/her career field. Development of the generalist normally
involves establishing a good foundation of experience in the employee’s primary
specialty, followed by lateral movement to a related specialty to broaden the
employee’s overall expertise and value to the procuring organization and
customer.

c. Level III—Advanced. By the time an individual reaches the senior levels of
acquisition, he or she must have completed all the mandatory training and
education requirements (or equivalents) leading up to that level and should have
advanced through a career pattern that has imparted in-depth knowledge in his/her
functional areas and breadth of knowledge across the entire acquisition process.
Advanced acquisition education and training become imperative for a more global
perspective. The lower-level requirements and courses form the basis for the next
progressively higher levels in the ACD Program, and the requirements are
cumulative.

5. CORE AND DESIRED/ELECTIVE CAREER PATH CURRICULUM. The structured
approach to training as articulated in the CPCD Program allows employees to
demonstrate comprehension and ability to apply course knowledge and skills to analyze
and resolve on-the-job performance issues, indicating the desired level of proficiency.
The program comprises core (required) and desired/elective courses. Core courses are
developed by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and are available through the
DAU or other DoD-Certified training providers. DAU has been chosen as the ACD
training source so that DOE/NNSA course texts, training materials, instructor
certifications, and training experiences are consistent with the ACD programs of DoD,
NASA, and an increasing number of other civilian agencies.

a. DOE Core Curriculum. To provide the acquisition community with a knowledge
base of the highest quality and to provide the student with not only the requisite
skills and knowledge but also the widest range of procurement thinking,
approaches, and practices, the following DOE core courses (see the table on the
next page) are necessary at each of the career levels in the CPCD (contracting and
purchasing) Program (see Appendix A for course descriptions).

b. NNSA Core Curriculum. NNSA will conform to the DOE ACD Program but
with additional requirements in supply chain management to be established and
issued through the NNSA Administrative Procedures Business Operating
Procedures.

c. Elective Courses. DOE and NNSA have identified some desired/elective courses
that cover procurement initiatives or specific areas of procurement requiring more
in-depth coverage than is offered in the core courses. Courses listed as
“desired/elective” are designed to improve the qualifications of the acquisition
workforce and in many cases lead to accomplishing mandatory standards at a
higher level.
Completion of desired/elective courses is not required to progress to the next
higher career level. Individuals should choose whether to take desired/elective
courses based on their specific interests, needs, and work assignments.

Career Level
Core Courses

SEE PDF PAGE I-4 FOR TABLE

GS-1102—Contracting
GS-1105—Purchasing
I—Entry
CON 101 Fundamentals of
Contracting
CON 104 Contract Pricing
CON 101 Fundamentals of
Contracting

II—Intermediate
CON 210 Government Contract Law
CON 202 Intermediate Contracting
CON 204 Intermediate Contract
Pricing
CON 202 Intermediate Contracting

III—Advanced
CON 353 Advanced Business
Solutions for Mission Support
Project Management Overview
CON 210 Government Contract Law

d. Alternate Education and Training Methods. Although it is highly recommended
that students attend the CPCD core course offerings (and desired/elective courses,
if needed) whenever possible, certain academic courses offered by institutions of
higher education are approved by DAU as equivalent to the mandatory education
and training courses. Information regarding alternate education and training
methods can be found at http://www.dau.mil. Some courses may be available
online or through distance learning. The DAU and Federal Acquisition Institute
Web sites (http://www.dau.mil and http://www.fai.gov, respectively) provide
information on courses deemed equivalent to DAU that are available online.

6. CONTINUOUS LEARNING (CL)/CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE). To remain
current in contracting/purchasing knowledge, skills, and techniques, individuals will
obtain 80 hours of CL/CE every 2 years. Failure to do so will result in revocation of the
contracting officer’s warrant and may result in reassignment to a position not requiring a
contracting officer’s warrant. For those not holding a contracting officer’s warrant,
failure to obtain CL/CE hours may result in reassignment to a position not involving
contract management. (Complete guidance on what constitutes CL/CE education is
contained in Chapter 8 of this Order.)

7. PROMOTIONS AND CONTRACTING OFFICER WARRANTS. Contracting and
purchasing personnel must clearly understand that any future promotions or issuances of
contracting officer warrants will be contingent upon the successful completion of the
CPCD core courses within their appropriate levels. Any requested exceptions to this
policy must be submitted in writing by the field element manager to the procurement
career manager for approval by the procurement executive.

8. RELATION TO OTHER ACQUISITION WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. The CPCD
Program is directed primarily at the career contracting and purchasing employee;
however, other members of the acquisition workforce require acquisition training. For
example, DOE’s/NNSA’s extensive Government purchase card program has resulted in
limited procurement authority being delegated to a number of individuals outside the
contracting series. DOE’s/NNSA’s current Contracting Officer Warrant Program (DOE
O 541.1A, Appointment of Contracting Officers and Contracting Officer’s
Representatives, dated 10-27-00) provides extensive coverage on the requirements for
delegation of procurement authority, including Government purchase card holders.
(Chapter 7 of this Order provides information on training requirements for contracting
officers and contracting officer representatives.)

APPENDIX A. LEVELS I, II, AND III MANDATORY AND
DESIRED/ELECTIVE COURSES
DESCRIPTION OF COURSES

The following courses are approved by the Acquisition Career Development (ACD) Program.
Each course is designated either “C” for core (mandatory) or “D/E” for “desired/elective”
(refresher or continued development). Any course prerequisites are also noted along with a
mandatory (M) or desired (D) designation.

GS-1102 Series
Level I. (Entry) Courses
Contract Specialist GS-05/07

Fundamentals of Contracting, CON 101, (C) is a general survey course in contracting basics
for personnel just entering or those with up to 3 years of practical experience in the field of
contracting. It covers the broad range of contracting procedures prescribed by the Federal
Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulations and
Procurement Guidebook, applicable statutes, ethics, policies, and other pertinent authorities that
govern contracting operations. (20 class days)

Contract Pricing, CON 104, (C) is designed for entry-level contracting personnel. This course
provides the foundation for the study and practice of cost and price analysis. Topics include a
review of various types of contracts, sources of data for cost and price analysis, methods of
analyzing direct and indirect costs, methods for performing profit analysis, ethics in contract
pricing, and a selection of current pricing topics. Individual and group negotiation workshops
address fundamentals of the negotiation process, including essential techniques, strategies, and
tactics. An actual cost analysis is used to illustrate various concepts and methods covered in the
course.

NOTE: Basic algebra skills are required for successful completion of this course. Personnel
accepted for this course will receive a math review book and are encouraged to complete that
review before attending the course. (14 class days)

Level II. (Intermediate) Courses
Contract Specialist, GS-09 through 12

Government Contract Law, CON 210, (C) provides information about the effect of
Government contract law on daily decision making in acquisition. It introduces basic legal
principles and sources of contract law as they apply to the Government’s acquisition of supplies,
services, and construction. Court cases and administrative decisions (Government Accounting
Office, Boards of Contract Appeals) are discussed, emphasizing the law’s effect on Government/
contractor relationships and ethics and how to avoid and handle legal disputes. This course is
designed for intermediate-level personnel who have some experience with Government
contracting and are responsible for contract formation or management. (10 class days)

Intermediate Contract Pricing, CON 204, (C) reinforces pricing skills taught in CON 104 and
develops skills in performing more advanced pricing duties. The course concentrates on
quantitative methods for cost and price analysis, advanced preaward pricing decisions, postaward
pricing decisions, and general contract pricing issues. Students receive MS DOS public domain
software to use in the quantitative methods section of instruction. Students will develop skills in
pricing leases; developing prenegotiation positions on proposed indirect rates, with emphasis on
depreciation; and analyzing the cost realism of best and final offers. Students will also be
instructed in how to develop general and administrative costs; individual research and
development costs; bid and proposal costs; and costs associated with fringe benefits,
environmental pools, and uncompensated overtime. Students will also develop skills in
estimating cost-to-complete, pricing equitable adjustments (with exercises related to claims and
contract modifications), adjusting and applying indirect cost rates (featuring an exercise in quick
closeout), and identifying defective pricing. Students will be required to develop a case study on
a contract pricing problem based on their previous contracting experience. These problems
provide a basis for classroom presentations and situation analysis corresponding to relevant
contract pricing topics and for applying ethical principles and developing appropriate solutions.
(10 class days) (Prerequisite: Contract Pricing, CON 104)

Intermediate Contracting, CON 202, (C) concentrates on management functions of all phases
of contracting. Emphasis is placed on problem analysis and resolution, two major management
functions. It is anticipated that knowledge acquired through previous courses and on-the-job
training will be applied throughout this course. Case studies and practical exercises offer ample
opportunity to apply knowledge and past experience in analyzing problems and formulating
decisions. In addition, discussions of alternative solutions and the identification and evaluation
of relevant facts help students develop depth-of-knowledge in the complex areas of contracting.
This course is specifically designed for intermediate-level personnel in the contracting series.
Preaward contracting concentrates on management functions and contracting problem analysis
and resolution. Case studies and classroom activities in the preaward phase help students use
ethical principles and develop decision-making skills relevant to the management of a wide
variety of Government acquisitions. (19 class days) (Prerequisite: Fundamentals of
Contracting, CON 101)

Incentive Contracting (D/E) is a comprehensive course that addresses the full spectrum of
contract types ranging from firm-fixed-price to cost-plus-fixed-fee, with a particular emphasis on
award-fee and incentive contracts. Through discussion and individual and group exercises, the
course addresses Government policy; selection and negotiation of contract type; and description,
application, and limitations of all variations of fixed-price, cost reimbursement, and incentive
contracts. This course will also address indefinite-delivery, time and materials, and cost sharing
contracts. Upon completing the course, the participant will be able to recognize the major
elements of a fixed-price-incentive (FPI) structure and to graph the share ratio line. Skills to
define the major elements of a cost-plus-incentive-fee (CPIF) structure and to calculate amounts
of incentive fee for multiple incentives will be acquired. The major elements of cost-plus-award-
fee (CPAF) contracts will be discussed and a recommended award fee amount will be computed.
Major topics include contract types, FPI and CPIF contracts, multiple incentive contracts, CPAF
contracts, and administrative issues. (4.5 class days)

Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) (D/E) is a specialized course focusing on the
acquisition of routine, recurring services. Performance-Based Contracting is designed to give
both technical and contracting personnel a general knowledge of the basic principles of PBC.
The course covers writing a PBC statement of work, developing incentive contract structures
(both positive and negative), developing a PBC quality assurance plan, and monitoring
contractor performance. The course also describes the roles of the surveillance team and the
quality assurance plan. Students develop a performance requirements summary stating the
standard performance with the Quality Assurance Plan and maximum defect rates. Different
methods of surveillance and instructions on how to decide which method to use are also
reviewed. (4.5 class days)

Performance-Based Contracting for Nonroutine Supplies and Services (D/E) covers the
essential elements of performance-based contracting as they pertain to nonroutine supplies and
services (e.g., research and development efforts), the differences between PBC for routine
services and nonroutine services, and the development of performance-based work statements.
The course also discusses problems in developing the project surveillance plan and its
importance. Contractor performance and the differences between oversight surveillance and
surveillance by insight and the juxtaposition of these two philosophies as they relate to PBC
policy disseminated by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy are also addressed. Methods of
incentive contracting and the importance of multiple incentive contracts within the context of
PBC are major course considerations. This course is recommended for all contracting personnel,
project/program managers, and contracting officer representatives. (4.5 class days)

Level III. (Advanced) Courses
Contract Specialist GS-13 and above

Advanced Business Solutions for Mission Support, CON 353, (C) is designed for Level II
certified and experienced contracting professionals who require Level III certification. Learning
takes place in a setting engaging contracting professionals in contributing to rapidly developing
and supporting mission requirements. Working in teams, students compare and contrast complex
situations; experience best practices; and then develop, evaluate, and recommend sound business
solutions. Students will learn to use a course “Community of Practice” to include contributing
performance resources for the workforce. Students will also talk with expert practitioners and
have an “insight” discussion with a senior leader. (9.5 class days)

Project Management Overview (C) provides an introduction to the use of projects to
accomplish goals, produce products, deliver services, and meet objectives. It examines a variety
of organizational settings and issues through case studies, scenarios, and real-life projects. The
role of the project manager in managing the project life cycle is addressed including defining
tasks, scheduling, estimating, allocating resources, monitoring, and controlling. Tools,
techniques, and tips for successful project management will also be presented. (5 class days)

Source Evaluation Board (SEB) (D/E) provides a comprehensive overview of the SEB process
used in major procurements (>$50 million). Sessions are structured to expose participants to the
entire SEB process using the FAR and DOE FAR Supplement procedures. The course will
provide information about the SEB process and tools/techniques associated with the activity.
The process includes roles and organizations, contents of statements of work, schedules,
evaluation factors (Section L and Section M of requests for proposals), scoring, briefing the
source selection official, and writing the selection statement. Although the process focuses on
awarding under the new procedures with initial proposals, how to conduct discussions and
compile best and final offeror evaluation results will be reviewed. Debriefing the successful and
unsuccessful offerors will be discussed. (4.5 class days)

GS-1105 Series
Level I. (Entry) Courses
Purchasing Agent GS-05

Fundamentals of Contracting, CON 101, (C) is a general survey course in contracting basics
for personnel just entering or those with up to 3 years of practical experience in the field of
contracting. It covers the broad range of contracting procedures prescribed by FAR, the
Department of Energy Acquisition Regulations and Procurement Guidebook, applicable statutes,
ethics, policies, and other pertinent authorities that govern contracting operations. (20 class
days)

Level II. (Intermediate) Courses
Purchasing Agent GS-07 through 08

Level III. (Advanced) Courses
Purchasing Agent GS-09 and higher

Government Contract Law, CON 210, (C) provides information about the effect of
Government contract law on daily decision making in acquisition. It introduces basic legal
principles and sources of contract law as they apply to the Government’s acquisition of supplies,
services, and construction. Court cases and administrative decisions (Government Accounting
Office, Boards of Contract Appeals) are discussed, emphasizing the law’s effect on
Government-contractor relationships and ethics and how to avoid and handle legal disputes.
This course is designed for intermediate-level personnel who have some experience with
Government contracting and are responsible for contract formation or management. (10 class
days)

CHAPTER II. PERSONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE

1. INTRODUCTION. Consistent with the intent of Policy Letter 97-01, the Department of
Energy (DOE) has identified personal property management as a critical
acquisition-related career field. Accordingly, the DOE/National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) Personal Property Management Career Development (PPMCD)
Program is a mandatory certification program.

2. PERSONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIELD. The property management career
field has many career disciplines that support procurement activities, including industrial
property management specialists, property administrators, organization property
management officers, contract specialists, motor vehicle managers, etc. The career field
involves policies and procedures for the management of Government personal property
and includes property management operations Department-wide.

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. The DOE procurement executive is responsible for
implementation of the DOE PPMCD Program. Functional management, including design
and content of curriculum, has been delegated to the director, Office of Resource
Management, DOE Headquarters (HQ), who will serve as the Department’s personal
property management career manager. The Acquisition Career Development (ACD)
Program director is responsible for day-to-day administration and management of the
certification program. The NNSA procurement executive is responsible for
implementation of the NNSA PPMCD Program. Functional management, including
design and content of curriculum, has been delegated to the deputy director, Office of
Procurement and Assistance Management, NNSA HQ, who serves as the NNSA personal
property management career manager. The NNSA ACD Program manager is responsible
for the day-to-day administration and management of the certification program.

4. PERSONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
The PPMCD Program has established three levels of training, each with a core
curriculum of personal property management courses. The program will provide the
opportunity for employees to apply course knowledge and skills to analyze and resolve
on-the-job issues. Completion of core courses in a logical sequence is necessary so that
the appropriate level of knowledge is available for performance at a particular level and
that later courses can build on the knowledge gained from earlier courses.

5. CORE CARREER PATH CURRICULUM. The core courses necessary to provide the
DOE personal property management workforce with the knowledge base necessary to
support the Department’s mission are outlined below.

Level I (GS-5–GS-7) Contract Property Administration Fundamentals
Fundamentals of Contracting
Level II (GS-9–GS-12) Intermediate Contract Property Administration
Government Contract Law
Level II (cont’d.) Contract Property Disposition
Demilitarization Course
Personal Property and Nonproliferation Course
Level III (GS-13–GS-15) Contract Property Systems Analysis
Contract Property Management Seminar
Advanced Government Property Management

All of the core courses are developed and taught by the Defense Acquisition University
(DAU). Other sources, as approved by the PPMCD Program career manager, may be
used to acquire the core courses. Equivalencies will be granted for certificates issued by
the National Property Management Association or the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Graduate School Property Management certification program.

In addition to the core subjects, DOE and NNSA have identified desired courses that
cover specific areas of personal property management requiring more in-depth coverage.
Appendix A identifies the core and desired courses along with a description of these
courses.

6. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS. Employees should understand that
opportunities for appointments in the career field are limited to employees with the
requisite level certification unless waived by the procurement executive.

7. CONTINUOUS LEARNING (CL)/CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE). To remain
current in personal property management knowledge, skills, and techniques, personal
property managers will obtain 80 hours of CL/CE every 2 years. If employees are in
GS-1102 series positions and perform a mix of contracting and personal property
management, CL/CE should include both functional areas. These requirements should be
viewed as a complement to the contracting requirements and not a requirement to
complete 80 hours of CL/CE both in contracting and in personal property management,
rather a total of 80 hours of CL/CE in a combination of areas.

APPENDIX A. CORE AND DESIRED COURSES

Core Courses

Level I. (Entry) Courses
GS-5 through GS-7

Contract Property Administration Fundamentals (Basic Property) (IND 101)—This course
is designed for industrial property management specialists, property administrators, and other
Government personnel who manage Government property. It is also designed to provide
contracting officers, program managers, team leaders, and others with a comprehensive
understanding of contract, regulatory and statutory requirements for the management and
administration of Government property. The focus of this course is property administration and
the management of Government property, which includes material, facilities, special tooling,
special test equipment, and Agency peculiar property. Pertinent topical areas include the
Government’s policy on providing property to contractors and exceptions to the policy,
acquisition, classification, control, protection, maintenance, and disposition. (5 class days)

Fundamentals of Contracting (CON 101)—This course is a general survey course in
contracting basics for personnel just entering or those with up to 3 years of practical experience
in the field of contracting. It covers the broad range of contracting procedures prescribed by the
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulations and
Procurement Guidebook, applicable statutes, ethics, policies, and other pertinent authorities that
govern contracting operations. (20 class days)

Level II. (Intermediate) Courses
GS-9 through GS-12

Intermediate Contract Property Administration (IND 201)—This course is designed for
experienced property/asset management personnel, property administrators, their supervisors,
and other Government personnel whose duties and responsibilities are related to the management
of Government property controlled by contractors. Major course topics include the planning and
organization of the overall functions of property administration including the property control
system, liability, and disposition. Emphasis is placed upon critical analysis of current
management policy and practice at three levels: top management, field activity management,
and contractor management. Primary consideration is given to setting and attaining objectives,
implementation of advanced management techniques, and identifying and analyzing current
problem areas. Students who have not had IND 101 (Basic Property) will have a difficult time
understanding the advanced nature of material presented in this course. (5 class days)

Government Contract Law (CON 210)—This course provides information about the effect of
Government contract law on daily decision making in acquisition. It introduces basic legal
principles and sources of contract law as they apply to the Government’s acquisition of supplies,
services, and construction. Court cases and administrative decisions (Government Accounting
Office, Boards of Contract Appeals) are discussed, emphasizing the law’s effect on
Government/contractor relationships and ethics and how to avoid and handle legal disputes. This
course is designed for intermediate-level personnel who have some experience with Government
contracting and are responsible for contract formation or management. (10 class days)

Contract Property Disposition—This course is designed to enhance the skill of Government
personnel performing contract property disposition functions. Participants analyze the
responsibilities of disposal and property management personnel and their relationships with
contractors and contractor employees engaged in the disposition of Government property
furnished in the support of contracts. Topics include contract property disposition, regulations
and guidance contained in the FAR and implementing regulations, and ethical principles are
explained and discussed.

Demilitarization Course—This course has been modified to address the Federal and
Departmental policies, procedures, and issues regarding demilitarization, export control, and
firearms.

Personal Property and Nonproliferation Course—This course will provide participants with a
basic understanding of proliferation-sensitive equipment, materials, and technology and the
United States nuclear nonproliferation and export control policies, statutes, regulations,
directives, and guidelines that are relevant to DOE property and technical information.

Level III. (Advanced) Courses
GS-13 through GS-15

Contract Property Systems Analysis—This course builds a solid foundation in audit principles
and techniques for entry-level property administrators and industrial property management
specialists. The course covers contractual and regulatory requirements for establishing and
maintaining a system to control all Government property for which the contractor is responsible
and accountable. The instructional process underscores the importance of property control
system requirements and provides the tools necessary for the property administrator to plan and
perform a property control systems analysis.

Contract Property Management Seminar (IND 202)—This course is designed for property
administrators, industrial property management specialists, and organization property
management officers (OPMOs) at both field and Headquarters locations. The seminar builds
upon the introductory and intermediate contract property courses. Participants analyze problems,
solutions, policies, and programs that impact the property administration function. Property
administrators collaborate in developing management and problem-solving strategies and
examine priorities and goals with the property administration office. Leadership,
communication, professionalism, ethics, and team building are emphasized. Participants discuss
property management initiatives and new ideas developed in their own organizations and explore
the challenges and problems faced by property administration offices. Methods of instruction
include case studies and critical incidents, simulations, guided discussions, and group projects.
Guest lecturers, teaching interviews, and round table discussions expose participants to new
ideas and trends. (5 class days)

Advanced Government Property Management—This course is designed for senior property
managers at both field level and staff locations. The seminar builds upon the intermediate
property management courses by introducing the participants to case studies that involve
complex property transactions. The seminar participants will analyze problems and policies,
develop solutions, and collaborates with other students to develop management and
problem-solving strategies. Participants discuss current laws and new property management
initiatives and explore the challenges and problems facing the property management profession.
Methods of instruction include case studies, simulations, discussions, and group projects. Guest
lecturers, teaching interviews, and other forums will expose participants to new property
management ideas and trends.

Desired Courses

Storage and Warehousing—Participants will learn to lay out, establish, manage, and operate a
typical storage and warehousing project with optimum use of horizontal and vertical space.

Property Management for Custodial Officers—Participants will learn the life cycle of
personal property, including requirement determination, sources available to fill the need,
receiving and accountability, and removal from the custodial area when no longer required.

Basic Occupational Safety and Health Administration Training—Students will gain an
overview of the general concepts, standards, and procedures promulgated by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration regulations of the Department of Labor.

Introduction to Basic Analytical Skills in Supply Management—Participants will apply
analytical skills to the selection and justification of equipment replacement through trade-ins,
quality upgrades, safety considerations, Code of Federal Regulations Guidelines [Federal
Property Management Regulations (FPMR) and FAR] replacement standards and financial
analysis.

Motor Vehicle Management/Fleet Management—Students will learn to implement the
process of life-cycle management of individual motor vehicles and fleet management,
registration, identification, exemptions and records.

Intermediate Contract Administration (CON 202)—Students will learn the management
functions of all phases of contracting. Emphasis is placed on problem analysis and resolution,
two major management functions. It is anticipated that knowledge acquired through previous
courses and on-the-job training will be applied throughout this course. Case studies and practical
exercises offer ample opportunity to apply knowledge and past experience in analyzing problems
and formulating decisions. In addition, discussions of alternative solutions, and the identification
and evaluation of relevant facts, help students develop depth-of-knowledge in the complex areas
of contracting. This course is specifically designed for intermediate-level personnel in the
contracting series. Preaward contracting concentrates on management functions and contracting
problem analysis and resolution. Case studies and classroom activities in the preaward phase
help students use ethical principles and develop decision-making skills relevant to the
management of a wide variety of Government acquisitions.
Grant Administration—Students will learn of the various ways the Federal Government
manages and administers grant-in-aid programs and gains an understanding of the grants
management process with regard to the numerous avenues for the control and disposition of
Government property.

Inventory Management—Students will learn of budget practices and storage policies for the
management and control of supplies, materials and various types of equipment.

Project Management Overview—Students are introduced to the use of projects to accomplish
goals, produce products, deliver services, and meet objectives. A variety of organizational
settings and issues are examined through case studies, scenarios, and real-life projects. The role
of the project manager in managing the project life cycle is addressed including defining tasks,
scheduling, estimating, allocating resources, monitoring, and controlling. Tools, techniques, and
tips for successful project management will also be presented.

CHAPTER III. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE

1. INTRODUCTION. Within the Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security
Agency (NNSA), contract specialists often award and administer financial assistance
instruments in addition to acquisition contracts; however, the Federal standards do not
address financial assistance careers or offer a training curriculum. To ensure that its
contract specialist workforce is as qualified in the award and administration of financial
assistance as they are in acquisition, DOE offers its employees training resources. The
application of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy’s policy letter concepts to
financial assistance responsibilities will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
DOE’s contract workforce. Implementation of a DOE financial assistance training and
career development certification program will help in meeting the career development
objectives of Executive Order (E.O.) 12931, “Federal Procurement Reform,” dated
October 13, 1994. This program provides the information and guidelines to plan career
development programs for procurement professionals performing financial assistance
duties to enable them to become more competitive for higher-level positions in
acquisition-related fields.

2. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE QUALIFICATION STANDARDS. The DOE financial
assistance community is composed of GS-1102 contract specialists, and the Office of
Personnel Management qualification standards are relevant but not fully sufficient for
performing financial assistance duties. Contract specialists performing financial
assistance in addition to, or in place of, acquisition duties must also meet the certification
requirements established by this program, which include completion of the courses listed
in Chapter 3, Appendix A.

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Each individual performing financial assistance
work, working in conjunction with his or her supervisor’s career guidance and the
opportunities presented for career growth, is ultimately responsible for his or her career
progression and development in DOE/NNSA. However, overall responsibility for
DOE/Financial Assistance Career Development (FACD) Program implementation rests
with the DOE procurement executive. Organizational management has been delegated to
the director of the Office of Procurement and Assistance Policy, DOE Headquarters
(HQ), who will serve as DOE’s financial assistance career manager. This office is
responsible for FACD policy, design and content of the recommended curriculum,
identification of the critical financial assistance related duties, and tasks in which, at a
minimum, employees in the financial assistance career path must be competent to
perform at full performance grade levels. The director of the HQ Acquisition Career
Development (ACD) Program is responsible for the day-to-day administration and
management of the program. Within NNSA, overall responsibility for NNSA/FACD
Program implementation rests with the NNSA procurement executive. Organizational
management has been delegated to the deputy director, Office of Procurement and
Assistance Management, NNSA HQ, who will serve as NNSA’s financial assistance
career manager. The NNSA ACD Program manager is responsible for the day-to-day
administration and management of the program.

In planning their careers, individuals should pursue the training and growth opportunities
offered them and request increasingly difficult and challenging assignments, enter a
mentoring relationship, become involved with professional societies, and seek education
and training outside the FACD curriculum and other DOE/NNSA course offerings.

4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. Financial assistance
award and administration in DOE is performed by contract specialists. The FACD
Program is built upon the skills acquired by the contract specialists in the performance of
their acquisition duties and the training provided by the Contracting/Purchasing ACD
Program. This is possible because of the similar skills required for acquisition and
financial assistance. These skills include planning, preparing solicitation documents,
proposal analysis, cost analysis, negotiation, selection of award instrument type,
financing performance, audits, preparing award documents, debriefing, administration,
monitoring, terminations, and closeout.

Certification is the process through which the financial assistance career manager
determines that an individual meets the requirements (training, and experience)
established for a career level in the financial assistance career field. Contracting
activities are expected to ensure that contract specialists involved in the award and
administration of financial assistance attain the training necessary for certification.
Contract specialists who perform financial assistance work on an occasional basis are not
required to pursue this supplemental training. Contracting officer warrants that include
financial assistance will require the successful completion of the FACD courses. (See
Chapter 7 for training required to be granted a contracting officer warrant.)

5. CAREER PATH CURRICULUM. The FACD Program will provide employees the
opportunity to analyze and resolve on-the-job performance issues and methods or
techniques to determine their levels of proficiency. The FACD Program curriculum is
designed to provide students with the necessary financial assistance skills and with
experience in a wide range of thinking, approaches, and practices. The required courses
are listed below. Detailed course descriptions are provided in Appendix A.

Federal Financial Assistance
Cost Principles OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, A-122 and FAR 31.2
Federal Funds Management

6. CONTINUOUS LEARNING (CL)/CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE). To remain
current in financial assistance, financial assistance specialists are required to obtain
80 hours of CL/CE or training every 2 years. If employees perform a mix of acquisition
and financial assistance responsibilities, CE should include both functional areas. (These
requirements should be viewed as a complement to the acquisition requirements and,
therefore, total training hours do not necessarily have to exceed 80 hours every 2 years.)

7. RELATION TO OTHER ACQUISITION WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. The FACD
complements the Contracting/Purchasing Career Development Program required of all
GS-1102 Federal personnel. The FACD Program is directed primarily at contract
specialist/financial assistance career employees; however, other members of the
acquisition workforce may benefit from financial assistance training. For example, cost
and price analysis personnel, contracting officer representatives, and sponsoring program
personnel. Contracting activities are encouraged to tailor courses such as these for such
employees. Cost/price analysts, for example, would benefit from the cost principles, and
Federal funds management courses of this curriculum.

APPENDIX A. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CAREER DEVELOPMENT
AND CERTIFICATION CURRICULUM

The following courses have been approved for the Financial Assistance Career Development and
Certification Curriculum and are to be completed by individuals who are routinely working with
financial assistance instruments in order to satisfy certification requirements under this program.

Federal Financial Assistance. This course introduces students to the basic processes and
applications of the Federal financial assistance program. Entry-level personnel who take this
course will gain the ability to negotiate, award, and administer a Federal financial assistance
instrument. Evening reading is required. Topics include types of assistance, overview of
assistance requirements, selection process, determining and negotiating award details, making
the award, and postaward management of an assistance instrument. Students gain in-depth
experience with cooperative agreements and the key feature that distinguishes these instruments
from other award instruments (i.e., awarding Agency substantial involvement). (5 class days)

Cost Principles—Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-21, A-122, and
A-87. In this course, students gain a firm grounding in the basic premises underlying all sets of
cost principles and practical experience applying each set of cost principles to assistance
agreement situations. Students will discuss reasonableness and allocability of costs, classify
costs as typically direct or indirect, and determine the allowability of selected items of cost. The
course will include discussion of highly visible problems (e.g., lobbying costs). Acquisition
budget negotiations will be contrasted to financial assistance budget analysis. Students will
perform a cost analysis of a grant budget and identify cost areas requiring explanation. (2 class
days)

Federal Funds Management. Students will gain the basic skills needed to determine whether
current and prospective Federal award recipients have adequate business systems and are capable
of managing Federal funds, whether a determination of financial responsibility is possible, and
when it may be necessary to impose special award conditions. Students will discuss and develop
special award conditions. Students will review a recipient’s business management systems to
identify deficiencies and determine appropriate corrective actions and will use cost reports and
audit reports to assess a recipient’s management capabilities.

Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the audit requirements for Federal grants.
Students will review OMB Circular A-133 audit requirements, review audit report excerpts, and
discuss the significance of audit findings and an adequate recipient response. Major topics
include OMB Circular A-133, A-133 Compliance Supplement, General Accounting Office
Yellow Book, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants audit standards, audit process,
major program determinations, assessing program risk, internal controls and compliance testing,
monitoring the auditor’s performance, single audit reporting, followup, and resolution. Students
also learn when and under what circumstances they may need to obtain special audits of their
own. (2 class days)

CHAPTER IV. PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM MODULE

1. OBJECTIVES. To establish requirements and responsibilities for the Department of
Energy (DOE) Project Management Career Development Program (PMCDP), including
instituting certification, knowledge, and development requirements for all DOE project
directors with line management responsibility for DOE capital asset projects (CAPs).

2. BACKGROUND. The Department recognizes the criticality of successful projects, and
project management has become a focal point of improvement efforts. Project
management centers of excellence (e.g., project management offices), training programs,
and organization change programs to improve project management practices are
increasingly common parts of Departmental strategic plans to improve organizational
effectiveness. In 1998, DOE defined its acquisition workforce to include contract
specialists/contracting officers, purchasing agents, financial assistance specialists,
property managers, and project directors under DOE’s umbrella directive DOE O 361.1,
Acquisition Career Development Program, dated 11-10-99, establishing training and
certification requirements for the acquisition workforce. In 2001, the effort to develop a
formal training and certification program was initiated by the Deputy Secretary,
consistent with recommendations from internal DOE reports, General Accounting Office
reports, and a 1999 National Research Council Report. As a result of the importance of
projects to the Department, on January 17, 2001, the Deputy Secretary of Energy directed
the DOE Office of Engineering and Construction Management (OECM) to establish the
DOE PMCDP. This program has defined necessary DOE project management
knowledge, skills, and abilities; DOE project management training requirements; a DOE
career development tracking system; and a DOE project management certification
program. The Deputy Secretary directed OECM to develop a PMCDP module to be
included in DOE O 361.1, as a component of the DOE acquisition workforce program.
On March 31, 2003, the Deputy Secretary directed implementation of DOE M 413.3-1,
Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets, dated 3-28-03. A key change
introduced in the manual is the change in title of Federal “project manager” to “project
director.” The PMCDP Module establishes a well-defined career path for project
directors that includes certification, minimum training and continuing education (CE)
requirements, and project responsibilities that are commensurate with clearly defined
qualifications. The PMCDP has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget
and the Office of Personnel Management.

3. APPLICABILITY.
a. Primary DOE Organizations, Including NNSA Organizations. Except for the
exclusions in paragraph 3c, this Order applies to all Primary DOE Organizations
(see Attachment 1 of this Order for a complete list of Primary DOE
Organizations). This Order automatically applies to Primary DOE Organizations
created after it is issued.
Note that only the NNSA Administrator can direct NNSA employees. Wherever
this Order gives direction to NNSA employees, it should be understood that this
direction is provided only for the convenience of the Administrator and is not
intended to assume or replace the authority of the Administrator’s direction.
b. Contractors. The requirements in the PMCDP Module do not apply to
DOE/NNSA contractors.
c. Exclusions. This Order does not apply to the Bonneville Power Administration.
Waivers to certification requirements set forth in this Order must be obtained in
accordance with the applicable program module.

4. REQUIREMENTS.
a. DOE project directors must attain the following certification levels before they
are delegated authority for CAPs with the following total project cost (TPC)
limits.
* Certification Level 4: TPC exceeding $400 million (M)
* Certification Level 3: TPC between $100M and $400M
* Certification Level 2: TPC between $20M and $100M
* Certification Level 1: TPC between $5M and $20M
The TPC is an aggregate dollar value for all projects currently managed by an
individual. At the discretion of the field element manager, with program
Secretarial Officer and OECM concurrence, project director positions for projects
with greater complexity, visibility, and/or importance may be designated for a
higher certification level than the TPC, as shown above, might otherwise justify.
(This provision also applies to projects with TPC less than $5M).

b. DOE project directors must be certified according to the guidance contained in
this module (Appendix A) and separately issued certification and equivalency
guidelines (CEG) and have their certifications approved by the DOE Certification
Review Board (CRB) or the NNSA Administrator, as appropriate.

c. Field element managers or their designees will approve the completion of
individual competencies and requirements.

d. A CRB will be established and cochaired by the OECM director and the
Administrator, NNSA, or their designees and will issue all project management
certifications. For NNSA employees, the CRB will make certification
recommendations to the NNSA Administrator who will approve the certification
actions.

e. The director of the OECM and the Administrator, NNSA, will approve project
management certifications, subject to the provisions of paragraph 4d above,
within 24 months of having all certification elements of the PMCDP in place and
performing as necessary to support the effective implementation of the
certification guidelines described in Appendix A. This phased approach to
implementation provides time for OECM to complete all PMCDP design and
implementation activities and for affected programs and projects to plan, budget,
and schedule program- and project-specific PMCDP implementation
requirements.
(1) This module does not have a “grandfather” provision for project
management certification, and the CRB will not issue a certification based
solely on the candidate’s incumbency before the effective date of DOE
O 361.1.
(2) During the 24-month transition period, incumbent project directors will
retain their project management functions and authorities.
(3) Field element managers and OECM will use equivalencies as appropriate
during this 24-month phase-in period.
(4) Incumbent project directors who fail to attain certification within the
24-month transition period will be ineligible for project director
promotions or lateral transfers to other project director positions.

f. The CRB will approve the project director’s certification according to the
certification requirements included in Appendix A of this module. The CRB must
ensure education, experience, grade, training, skills, and knowledge are
commensurate with delegated project management authorities. OECM will issue
guidelines for equivalencies (the CEG).

g. To maintain certification, project directors must biennially complete 60 hours of
CE development. (Appendix A contains an explanation of credit-to-hour
equivalencies.)

h. All candidates for PMCDP certification must have individual development plans
(IDPs) that address planned training and course work, details, rotational
assignments, mentor-protégé assignments, and other developmental activities
defined in this module.

i. All waivers will be approved by a formal memorandum from the director of
OECM or his/her designee.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES.

a. Program Secretarial Officers and Field Element Managers (including operations
offices, site offices, area offices, project offices, and service centers).
(1) Ensure their Federal project directors are certified according to this
module and at the appropriate level (i.e., Level 1, 2, 3, or 4) before
authority for projects is delegated to those individuals.
(2) Identify and select DOE project management certification candidates and
identify their respective CAPs within 90 calendar days of the effective
date of DOE O 361.1.
(3) Select candidates based on the qualification requirements in the PMCDP
Module and submit applications for project director certification to the
CRB for review and approval within 12 months of selection for new hires,
reassignments, or promotions/advancements.
(4) Direct project directors’ supervisors to identify training needs for each
project director according to the requirements of this module, and budget
for these recurring project management training needs on an annual basis.
(5) Ensure project directors are provided the appropriate developmental
assignments and experience needed to progress to higher levels of
certification.
(6) Ensure project directors develop and execute IDPs consistent with the
training, experience, and development requirements defined in this
module.
(7) Ensure appropriate training and CE requirements are satisfied in a timely
manner to maintain the project director’s certification.
(8) Refer all incumbent project directors to the Headquarters CRB for
certification.
(9) Approve individual competencies (requirements) and track the
certification status of project directors.
(10) Provide OECM with quarterly updates of each project director’s project
assignments, training, developmental assignments, and certification status.
(11) Ensure training and certification records for project directors are
accumulated and maintained in the DOE Corporate Human Resource
Information System (CHRIS)/Employee Self-Service (ESS).
(12) Ensure each project director’s training and certification records are
accurate and are maintained in both the DOE CHRIS/ESS and auditable
files.
(13) Reassign Federal employees whose certifications are cancelled under
paragraph 5c(9) of this module to duties other than the management of
DOE CAPs, and cancel any incentive pay provided under paragraph
5a(17).
(14) At the discretion of the field office manager and commensurate with
contract management practices at the site, provide certified project
directors with formal contracting officer representative authority once
project directors have received the required training and their technical
contract administration competency is verified.
(15) Nominate project directors as candidates for the industry rotation program
sponsored by the Office of Management, Budget and Evaluation,
Management Services Division, as developmental assignments.
(16) Establish a project management function that—
(a) serves as a “homeroom” for project directors;
(b) assigns Level 4 mentors to Level 3 project director candidates;
(c) establishes a voluntary mentoring program for Level 1 and Level 2
project directors;
(d) provides a forum for exchanging ideas, sharing lessons learned,
and conducting technical presentations and workshops;
(e) tracks the project director’s career path to ensure training,
developmental activities, and experiences are being provided and
used in a manner consistent with the PMCDP defined in this
module; and
(f) tracks and reports PMCDP performance measures as identified and
requested by OECM.
(17) Provide incentives to high performing project directors who attain
certification and hold project management positions by providing
incentives in addition to base pay (subject to budget availability), as
follows:
(a) PMCDP Level 1—5 percent of base pay;
(b) PMCDP Level 2—7.5 percent of base pay; and
(c) PMCDP Levels 3 and 4—10 percent of base pay.
(18) Develop any required incentive pay justifications.
(19) Identify project directors for rotational assignments and details based on
the developmental needs of the project directors.
(20) Appoint Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for each competency contained in
the PMCDP, as listed in the CEG.

b. Field Element Managers (including operations offices, site offices, area offices,
project offices, and service centers). In addition to responsibilities identified in
paragraph 5a, field element managers will do the following.
(1) Direct field-level project management SMEs to determine equivalencies
for certification candidates using guidelines established by OECM.
(2) Ensure PMCDP certification is used as a quality ranking factor in all
relevant project management vacancy announcements.
(3) Conduct panel interviews for Level 1 and 2 certification as deemed
necessary and appropriate.
(4) Use model project director position descriptions developed by the Office
of Human Resources [paragraph 5d(6)] to the maximum extent practical.
(5) Pay for Project Management Institute Project Management Professional
testing fees.
(6) Direct field training coordinators to track the completion of competencies
and CE units in the DOE CHRIS/ESS.
(7) Maintain auditable records of project director training.
(8) Establish DOE project director homeroom systems that track and advocate
the career development of DOE Federal project directors.

c. Director, Office of Engineering and Construction Management.
(1) Selects membership (using program and field nominations) to and
cochairs the CRB; conducts initial panel interviews and followup
interviews, as necessary, of all Level 3 certification candidates and
Level 4 certification candidates that are new DOE hires; and issues project
director certifications (subject to the provisions of paragraph 4d for NNSA
employees) in accordance with Appendix A to this module. (These
responsibilities may be delegated one level.)
(2) Ensures all DOE CAP project directors are certified according to the
requirements of the PMCDP Module.
(3) As cochair of the CRB, and in coordination with the NNSA Administrator,
approves all waivers for Level 1 through Level 4 candidates. [Note:
Responsibility may be delegated per paragraph 5c(1) above.]
(4) Develops an annual complexwide project director needs assessment and
statistics on project director retention using CHRIS.
(5) Tracks the development of certified project directors, and notifies project
directors and their supervisors of training and developmental needs.
(6) Develops, issues, and maintains PMCDP guidance and the Project director
CEG.
(7) If an incumbent project director fails to attain approved certification in the
24-month transition period, provides notification to the incumbent project
director and his/her supervisor that the candidate has 90 days to attain
certification. If the candidate has not attained certification after the 90-day
period, notifies the project director and his/her supervisor that the
incumbent project director is not certified to manage CAPs at the TPC
level currently managed.
(8) Reviews quarterly reports on CE status and provides 90-day notification to
certified project directors and their supervisors of pending revocation of
certification when CE requirements for maintaining certification are not
met.
(9) Unless extenuating circumstances such as illness or military service
prevent a project director notified under paragraph 5c(8) from remedying
identified deficiencies, revokes certification after the 90-day notification
period has been exceeded without appropriate remedial action, and notifies
the project director’s supervisor that the certification has been revoked.
(10) Establishes, in conjunction with the Office of Management Systems and
Services, formal agreements between public and private sector
organizations to provide certified project directors rotational assignments
and details.
(11) Reviews and approves CE credits and preapproves training equivalencies
for courses not specifically listed in the core training requirements defined
in Appendix A of this module.
(12) Annually evaluates project management training needs and ensures
appropriate training capacity is available through the Office of Human
Resources Management or other sources.
(13) Establishes, tracks, and reports PMCDP performance measures to the
Deputy Secretary on an annual basis.
(14) Assists program offices and field elements in developing any required
justifications for pay incentives.
(15) Assists program offices and field elements in developing any required
justifications for pay incentives.
(16) Manages the initial, recurring training, including prototype, for 18 months
past the implementation date.
(a) Ensures appropriate training that satisfies the training requirements
defined in this module is available to DOE project directors.
(b) Ensures priority for placement in training courses and in
developmental assignments is given to incumbent project directors.

d. Director, Office of Human Resources.
(1) Supports the PMCDP through maintaining certification records, training
and development needs, and project assignments on the DOE CHRIS.
(2) Works in concert with OECM to transition the training management
responsibility to the Office of Training and Human Resource
Development after 18 months of initial delivery from the implementation
date.
(a) Provides continuing support for the PMCDP by ensuring
appropriate training that satisfies the training requirements defined
in this module is available to DOE project directors.
(b) Ensures priority for placement in training courses and in
developmental assignments is given to incumbent project directors.
(3) Ensures PMCDP certification is used as a quality-ranking factor in all
relevant project management vacancy announcements.
(4) Ensures appropriate pay incentives are awarded for attainment of PMCDP
certification and subsequent high performance in accordance with
paragraph 5a(17) of this module.
(5) Assists OECM, program offices, and field elements in developing any
required justifications for pay incentives.
(6) Develops and maintains model project director position descriptions for
each of the four levels of PMCDP certification.

e. Certified Project directors.
(1) Maintain certifications according to requirements of the PMCDP Module.
(2) Ensure their IDPs reflect the training, CE, and work and development
requirements defined in Appendix A.
(3) Provide feedback on the effectiveness of the PMCDP certification
program, identifying additional training and CE needs.
(4) Assist with training, mentoring, and certification of other project directors.

APPENDIX A. DOE PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

I. BACKGROUND
On January 17, 2001, the Deputy Secretary of Energy directed the Office of Engineering and
Construction Management (OECM) to institute a career development program that would
establish Department of Energy (DOE) project management knowledge, skills, and abilities
(KSAs); training requirements; a career development tracking system; and a certification
program. The Deputy Secretary directed OECM to develop a Project Management Career
Development Program (PMCDP) module to be included in DOE O 361.1, Acquisition Career
Development Program, dated 11-10-99, as a component of the DOE acquisition workforce
program. Promulgation of the PMCDP Module through DOE O 361.1 formally institutionalizes
the PMCDP. The PMCDP establishes a well-defined career path that includes certification,
minimum training and continuing education (CE) requirements, and project responsibilities that
are commensurate with qualifications.

II. DOE PROJECT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION
The DOE PMCDP establishes guidelines for four certification levels corresponding to
progressively more project responsibility and experience and higher job grades. The four
certification levels are as follows.

* Level 4: Incumbents responsible for projects with total project cost (TPC) exceeding
$400 million (M).
* Level 3: Incumbents responsible for projects with TPC between $100M and $400M.
* Level 2: Incumbents responsible for projects with TPC between $20M and $100M.
* Level 1: Incumbents responsible for projects with TPC between $5M and $20M.

The TPC-based responsibility levels derive from DOE O 413.3, Program and Project
Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets, dated 10-13-00. The TPC is an aggregate
dollar value of one or more projects under the project director’s authority. (Projects may be
assigned higher levels of certification for a given TPC than listed above for reasons such as
complexity, risk, and visibility.)

OECM has developed a detailed set of KSAs that are necessary to effectively manage projects or
groups of projects with specific TPC ranges. OECM also has developed a set of training,
experience, and development requirements to enable project directors to gain these KSAs. This
section describes the training and developmental activities necessary to attain the KSAs required
at each level of certification and project responsibility.

In addition to these certification requirements, Level 3 candidates must successfully complete
DOE Certification Review Board (CRB) panel interviews. New DOE hires for positions
requiring Level 3 or Level 4 certification must also successfully complete CRB panel interviews.
Project directors who were incumbents at Levels 3 or 4 before the date of issuance of DOE
O 361.1 do not have to complete the CRB panel interview.

OECM compared the content of the Project Management Institute Project Management
Professional (PMP) certification requirements to the training, work, and development activity
requirements needed to attain the PMCDP KSAs. The PMP certification was determined to
provide some equivalencies to Level 1 and 2 requirements; therefore, the PMP certification can
be used to satisfy a portion of the training and work and development activity requirements for
those levels. The PMP certification does not provide equivalency at Levels 3 and 4. The
additional training and work and development activity requirements identified below for
individuals with the PMP certification are considered to be gained through Federal government
or DOE-specific work and development activities and training. With PMP certification, there are
a total of 11 training course requirements and 8 work and development activities identified as
necessary to attain the highest level of certification. These requirements are broken out for each
of the respective levels in the following certification standards. Table 1 provides a summary of
the number of requirements both with and without the PMP certification.

In addition to the PMP certification, a Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA)
license provides both—
* Level 1 equivalency for a 1-year assignment as a project engineer or integrated project
team (IPT) member and
* Level 2 equivalency for a 1-year assignment as a project engineer or IPT member on a
post-Critical Decision-3 (post-CD-3) project (see DOE O 413.3) with an
architecture/engineering (A/E) firm or DOE management and operating (M&O)
contractor.

The DOE CRB, cochaired by the director of the OECM or his/her designee, will grant project
management certification based upon the following certification requirements.

1. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A LEVEL 1 PROJECT DIRECTOR.
a. The candidate must have documentation that the following named courses and/or
courses in the listed subject areas, as appropriate, have been successfully
completed.
(1) Level I Project Management, with the following conditions:
(a) Module I of the Level I Project Management Course (PM
Essentials) or PMP certification and
(b) Module II of the Level 1 Project Management Course (PM System
and Practices in DOE), with or without the PMP.
(2) A course on earned value management systems and project reporting or
PMP certification.
(3) A course on the fundamentals of contracting, contract types, bid and
evaluation, and PBI contracting or the PMP certification.
(4) A course on contracting officer’s representatives (CORs).
(5) A course on acquisition strategy and planning.

SEE PDF CHAPTER IV, APPENDIX A, PAGE A-3 FOR TABLE 1.

Table 1. Department of Energy Project Management Career Development
Program Comparison of Training and Work/Development Requirements

Project director
Certification
Level

Certification Requirements

With PMP*
Certification

Without PMP
Certification

Level 1

Training Courses

3(Courses)

6(Courses)

Work/Development
Activities

0(Activities)

2(Activities)

Level 2

Training Courses

3(Courses)

5(Courses)

Work/Development
Activities

3(Activities)

Level 3

Training Courses

3(Courses)

Work/Development
Activities

3(Activities)

Level 4

Training Courses

2(Courses)

Work/Development
Activities

2(Activities)

2(Activities)
*Project Management Institute Project Management Professional.

b. The candidate must complete work and development activities that include the
following:
(1) 1 year’s experience as a project engineer or IPT member, PMP
certification, or a PE or RA license and
(2) 3 years’ total experience in project management or PMP certification.

2. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A LEVEL 2 PROJECT DIRECTOR.
a. The candidate must have successfully completed all the Level 1 project director
requirements.
b. The candidate must have documentation of successful completion of the
following.
(1) All of the following Level 2 core courses:
(a) Level 2 Project Management Course (Advanced PM Concepts),
(b) Project Management Simulation,
(c) Leadership and Supervision, and
(d) either PMP certification or a course on project risk management.
(2) One of the following elective courses:
(a) Cost and Schedule Estimating;
(b) Scope Management, Baseline Development, and Work Breakdown
Structure Development;
(c) Value Engineering;
(d) Integrated Safety Management; or
(e) Federal Budget Process.
c. The candidate must complete the following work and development activities:
(1) 1 year’s experience in supervision or as a team leader;
(2) 2 years’ experience as a Level 1 project director or equivalent; and
(3) 1 year on a post-CD-3-phase project, serving as a project engineer with an
A/E firm or DOE M&O contractor, or a PE or RA license. This
requirement will not apply to project directors who are incumbent project
directors on DOE projects as of the effective date of DOE O 361.1 and are
certified at Level 2 within 2 years of the effective date of the Order. In
addition, this requirement may be waived by OECM, in consultation with
the appropriate program directors and field managers, for project directors
with more than 10 years of Federal experience in project management
roles.

3. CERTIFICATION STANDARD FOR A LEVEL 3 PROJECT DIRECTOR.
a. The candidate must have successfully completed all the Level 1 and Level 2
project director requirements.
b. The candidate must have documentation of successful completion of the
following.
(1) Program Management and Project Portfolio Analysis.
(2) One of the following elective courses (Group A):
(a) Operational Readiness Reviews,
(b) Preproject Planning/Project Alignment,
(c) Systems Engineering, or
(d) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Environmental
Regulations.
(3) One of following elective courses (Group B):
(a) Labor Management Relations,
(b) Performance Based Contracting,
(c) Negotiation Strategies and Techniques, or
(d) Facilitation Techniques and Conflict Resolution.
c. The candidate must have work and development activities that include—
(1) a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a Level 2 project director or
equivalent,
(2) being mentored by a Level 4 project director for 6 months, and
(3) serving for 1 year as a COR.
d. The candidate must successfully complete a CRB panel interview.

4. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LEVEL 4 PROJECT DIRECTOR.
a. The candidate must have successfully completed all the Level 1, 2, and 3 project
director requirements.
b. The candidate must complete the Level 4 Project Management Course and one of
the following elective courses:
(1) Advanced Leadership,
(2) Advanced Risk Management, or
(3) Strategic Planning.
c. The candidate must have the following work experience and development
activities:
(1) 2 years’ experience as a Level 3 project director or equivalent and
(2) 1 year in program management at DOE Headquarters. This requirement
will not apply to project directors on DOE projects as of the effective date
of DOE O 361.1 who are certified at Level 4 within 2 years of the
effective date of the Order. In addition, this requirement may be waived
by OECM, in consultation with the appropriate program and field
managers, for project directors with more than 10 years of Federal
experience in project management roles.
d. Candidates for Level 4 certification who have successfully completed the panel
interview for Level 3 certification do not require a panel interview to attain
Level 4 certification; however, incumbents hired from outside DOE to occupy
Level 4 project management vacancies must successfully complete CRB panel
interviews.

III. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
The training requirements listed in Section II of this appendix include both the core and elective
course requirements for certification at each certification level. A full description of each course
is provided in the PMCDP curriculum. The Office of Human Resources Management will
provide training on each of the topics listed in Section II and described in the PMCDP
curriculum. The project director can also acquire training from other sources, including training
provided by OECM-approved commercial vendors, site-specific training programs, and course
work provided by accredited colleges and universities. Such training must be shown to be
equivalent to the training requirements contained in the PMCDP curriculum and accordingly
approved.

Each certified project director is required to successfully complete 60 hours of training biennially
to maintain certification. Certified project directors and Level 1 candidates should fulfill the CE
credit requirements/requirements necessary to progress to the next level of certification and
project authority by completing the training courses listed in Section II of this appendix.
Certified project directors and Level 1 candidates serving on IPTs may fulfill their training
requirements and CE credits through various sources including colleges, universities, training
venders, short courses, and workshops. OECM will develop and maintain a list of training
opportunities that support topics specified in Section II of this appendix. In addition to the
subject areas listed in Section II, the director of OECM or his/her designee will approve CE
credits and education in subjects related to the management of highly technical DOE projects.
These subject areas may include such topics as accounting, applied mathematics and statistics,
engineering, physical sciences, hazardous material management, environmental management,
maintenance management, and logistics.
Certified Level 4 project directors will have fulfilled all of the training requirements listed in
Section II. It is, therefore, expected that these individuals will fulfill their CE requirements
through completing the electives listed in Section II, leading project management-related
workshops and seminars, and serving as mentors to Level 3 certification candidates (serving as a
mentor to a Level 3 candidate for 6 months provides 30 CE credits). The Level 4 mentor is
expected to take the Departmental mentoring course offered as part of the DOE Technical
Leadership Development Program (see DOE M 426.1-1, Federal Technical Capability Manual,
dated 6-5-00) and will receive CE credits in accordance with the description of CE credit
assignments in Table 2.

IV. INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Project directors and their supervisors are expected to know and understand the training required
and developmental needs to be met to maintain certification and to progress to higher levels of
certification and project authority.
a. Work and Development Activities. The work and development requirements listed in
Section II of this appendix consist of a range of activities. The duration of these work
and development activities ranges from 1 to 3 years. Project directors and their
supervisors need to plan and coordinate these assignments in the project directors’
individual development plans (IDPs) to ensure timely progression to higher levels of
certification.
b. Rotational Assignments. OECM and the Office of Management Systems and Services
will establish agreements with public and private sector organizations to provide project
directors with high-quality rotational assignments and details. These assignments are
intended to assist project directors in completing work and development activity
requirements and also serve as a means of acquiring a greater depth of experience outside
of DOE and the Federal government.
c. Mentor-Protégé Program. A mentor-protégé arrangement provides the protégé with
access to experienced DOE project directors who can provide guidance and advice in
informal, nonsupervisory settings. Section II of this appendix requires a Level 3
candidate to be mentored by a Level 4 project director for 6 months. The Level 3
candidate should work with his/her supervisor and OECM to identify a Level 4 mentor
and document developmental needs and mentor program plans in his/her IDP.

Table 2. Continuing Education Credit Assignments

SEE PDF CHAPTER IV, APPENDIX A, PAGE A-8 FOR TABLE 2.

Training/Continuing Education (CE)
Opportunity Description

Unit

DOE CE Credit

Educational portions of technical meetings,
conferences, workshops, and seminars; DOE
training; and focused training and short
courses provided by commercial vendors

1 hour

1CE hour

Academic courses at an accredited college or
university

1 semester credit
1 quarter credit

15 CE hours
9 CE hours

Audited academic courses at an accredited
college or university

1 semester credit
1 quarter credit

=
=

5 CE hours
4 CE hours

Presentations at workshops, conferences, and
seminars

1 formal presentation

5 CE hours

Instructing at an accredited college or
university

1 semester credit
1 quarter credit

=
=

10 CE hours
9 CE hours

d. Interviews. To become certified as either a Level 3 or Level 4 project director, a new
hire from outside DOE must complete a rigorous oral examination conducted as an
interview by the CRB. Candidates from within DOE must also successfully complete a
CRB interview. The candidate and his/her supervisor should include plans for
coordinating and scheduling interviews through OECM if the candidate is anticipating
progression to Level 3. The PMCDP curriculum contains a detailed outline of KSAs and
the types of information the candidate will be expected to understand during the
interview process. The project director and his/her supervisor should identify appropriate
formal or informal exercises to prepare the Level 3/Level 4 candidate for the interview,
including dry runs or mock interviews. This preparation should begin at least 6 months
before the scheduled interviews. If the candidate does not successfully complete the
CRB interview, additional developmental work and a successful second interview will be
required.
e. 3600 Feedback. 3600 Feedback will be used to assess certification candidates’ capabilities
and developmental needs. Such feedback will be provided solely to the candidate and
will be used in developing his/her IDP and in preparing for Level 3/Level 4 CRB
interviews.

V. CAREER PATH PROMOTIONS
The Department is committed to recruiting and retaining highly qualified entry level project
directors and developing and training these individuals to progress to the highest levels of
certification and authority. After the PMCDP is institutionalized through implementation of

DOE O 361.1 and a well-defined career path for merit-based promotions has been established,
DOE elements will internally and competitively promote certified project directors to higher
levels of certification and responsibilities in accordance with the requirements in DOE O 320.1,
Acquiring and Positioning Human Resources, dated 9-6-02.

VI. RECRUITING AND RETAINING DOE FEDERAL PROJECT DIRECTORS
The Department’s line management organizations have the challenge to recruit, hire, and retain
high quality, skilled project directors. It is the responsibility of the program, operations, and
field offices to recruit highly qualified project directors. Several incentives promulgated through
Federal laws and regulations are available to enhance the Department’s ability to recruit project
directors. Major recruitment incentives defined and established in Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) regulations include the following:
* recruitment bonuses,
* relocation bonuses,
* superior qualifications appointments,
* excepted service hiring authority,
* dua