Building Mission-Focused Business Leaders: Reforming Enlisted Contracting Development

Abstract

The Air Force’s enlisted contracting workforce underpins mission readiness by acquiring services, commodities, and construction at the installation level. However, the current training model is rooted in surface-level memorization of regulations, producing a workforce certified on paper but unprepared for today’s complex acquisition environment. This thesis addresses that problem through three efforts. First, it conducts an enlisted workforce competency assessment using standardized contracting tasks and knowledge points, along with analysis of existing personnel and workload data to quantify enlisted contributions. Second, it proposes reimagining the Specialty Task Standard into a competency-based framework grounded in the National Contract Management Associations’ Contract Management Standard. Third, it evaluates the feasibility and value of embedding commercial certifications into skill-level milestones for enlisted personnel. Using a mixed-method approach, this study blends quantitative data from across the career field with qualitative insights from industry experts to identify proficiency gaps, root causes, and actionable interventions. The intended outcome is a roadmap that links learning objectives to validated competencies and certifications, shifting the training focus from compliance to capability and building a more proficient and knowledgeable, mission-ready contracting force.