Statement of Deidre A. Lee, Executive Vice President of Federal Affairs and Operations, Professional Services Council, before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate

Abstract

Thank you for your invitation to appear before the subcommittee today to discuss strengthening the federal acquisition workforce and the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act of 2009 (S.736). Many people make the mistake of defining the acquisition workforce too narrowly, accounting for contracting and procurement employees only. A more accurate description of the workforce includes all the requisite skills and functions that make up the total acquisition team from those who help define the government's needs to those who award the contract to those who administer and oversee the contractor performance. From fiscal years 2001 to 2008, the complexity of acquisitions substantially increased, and obligations more than doubled. The government also transitioned from purchasing mostly products to the preponderance of its purchases being services. Yet the size of the federal workforce remained stagnant.