Navy Contracting Officer Turnover in the Contract Management Process

Abstract

This thesis explores the impact of military personnel turnover on contract management at the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). A contracting competency assessment was administered to both military and civilian acquisition workforce personnel to evaluate their proficiency in buyer tasks and knowledge of seller tasks. The assessment revealed that buyers at DCMA sites generally demonstrate an “Intermediate” level of proficiency across various contract life cycle phases. Their knowledge of seller tasks was assessed at the “Aware” level, indicating a basic awareness but limited in-depth understanding of contractor competencies. Despite the military contracting officer turnover, DCMA sites continue to fulfill essential defense contracting tasks, suggesting that the presence of experienced military contracting officers may not be critical for mission success. Further research is needed to design targeted training initiatives to improve buyer proficiency and seller knowledge, as well as to continue competency assessments across both military and civilian personnel. Additionally, accurate coding of billets by NPC and the potential role of Navy Supply Corps officers in contracting officer positions should be examined, especially considering manning shortages and turnover issues.