Federal Acquisition

The specialization in Federal Acquisitions designed for students who seek rewarding careers in what is becoming one of the fastest-growing fields of public service.

The federal government is the world’s largest single buyer of goods and services, spending hundreds of billions of dollars to meet the country’s many critical requirements.Today, as the nation faces unprecedented budgetary pressures, the need to acquire these goods and services efficiently and effectively has never been greater.

Leaders and managers who can deliver better acquisition outcomes to support diverse areas, such as military operations, homeland security, the provision of health care, response to natural disasters, energy research and development, etc. are desperately needed.  Even as federal government spending has soared in recent years, the acquisition workforce has not kept pace.  Furthermore, based on current workforce demographics, well over half of the federal acquisition workforce will be eligible to retire within the next ten years.  As a result, thousands of new acquisition management employees are now beginning to be hired.

Similarly, as state and local governments feel their budgets increasingly squeezed, along with a simultaneous increase in demand for those services, they also see a need to hire “smart buyers.”  Though this program focuses on federal acquisitions, the experience and education offered will be of great value to students seeking to help state and local governments expand their capabilities to meet this need.

In addition to taking courses in acquisition management, federal government contracting and pricing, students will have the opportunity to conduct research and participate in acquisition-related activities in the School’s Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise, under the direction of Professor Jacques S. Gansler, Ph.D. (former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from 1997- 2001).  Outside the classroom, students will have the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience through internships at federal agencies and elsewhere.  Tuition assistance is available to qualified applicants.

Federal Acquisition Specialization Curriculum

In addition to meeting the overall requirements  of their degree program, students electing to specialize in Federal Acquisition take the following courses:

Federal Acquisition: Concepts and Management (PUAF 689A).  Provides an overview of acquisition as one of the basic functions of government.  Specifically focuses on the scope of acquisition, including organizational structures, regulations, strategies and issues of acquisition processes and management, from the development of an initial capability or need, through design, development, production, fielding, sustainment, and disposal.  Introduces the principles and concepts that underlie successful acquisition management – from major systems development and production, through buying services and common commodities.  Discusses how these concepts apply at state and local levels.

Government Contracting and Pricing (PUAF 689G).  Reviews all aspects of federal government contracting, sub-contracting and related challenges, from the development of solicitation to final close-out, within the context of the federal laws and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).Provides practical tools and techniques for establishing and evaluating prices for government contracts.

Current issues in Federal Acquisition (PUAF 689F).  Explores ways to improve (from a public policy perspective) the efficiency and effectiveness with which the government goes about acquiring well over $300 billion of goods and services. Focuses, as an “example case,” on issues in federal acquisition from the U.S. Department of Defense’s perspective, since it buys the most goods and services and is often used as a model by other departments and agencies. Issues covered include: “requirements”; budgeting; Congress; science and technology; design, development, production and support (management and costs); competition; public/private partnerships; privatization; small business innovation; role of non-profits; government oversight; the press; the supplying industries (structure, conduct, performance – actual and desired); and international considerations (security, industrial structures and trade). Primarily makes use of case-studies, with selected complimentary readings (including one short, classic book – Elton Morrison’s “Man, Machines, and Modern Times”).

One other MFL public finance or public management and leadership course of student’s choosing.

MPP Students Only: MF&L Project Course (PUAF 790).  Students analyze and recommend responses to a current acquisition issue, possibly for a real-life client. Emphasizes problem definition, organization of information, and presentation of results.

Typical Federal Acquisition Academic Plan

Master of Public Policy with a Specialization in Federal Acquisition

Sample Course Schedule (*48 credits)

Fall Semester I	Spring Semester I
Quantitative Aspects of Public Policy	Finance
Political Analysis	Microeconomics and Policy Analysis
Moral Dimensions of Public Policy	Acquisition Specialization Course 1
Public Management and Leadership	Public Policy and Management Elective 1
Fall Semester II	Spring Semester II
Public Policy and Management Elective 2	Public Policy and Management Elective 4
Public Policy and Management Elective 3	Public Policy and Management Elective 5
Acquisition Specialization Course 2	Acquisition Specialization Course 4
Acquisition Specialization Course 3	Project Course (Capstone) in Federal Acquisition
*Plus two non-credit acquisition workshops and a possibility for internships.

 

Master of Public Management with a Specialization in Federal Acquisition

Sample Course Schedule (**36 credits)

Primary Federal Acquisition Program Faculty and Scholars

Name	Expertise
Apfel, Kenneth Professor of the Practice; Director, MFL	Public management, federal budgeting, entitlement programs, public finance
Barclay, Juanda Senior Instructor for the ASTITM	Acquisition function, government procurement
Gansler, Jacques Professor, Director & Roger C. Lipitz Chair in CPPPE	National security, globalization, supply-chain management, government acquisition, advanced technology, public-private partnerships, competition, defense industry,  DOD management
Kettl, Donald F. Dean, School of Public Policy; Fellow, National Academy; Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution	Government management and organization, federalism, budgeting, and U.S. politics
Neustadt, William (Bill) A. Senior Instructor for the ASTITM	Acquisition management, pre- and post-award contracting, and energy management
Rogin, Ronne Senior Instructor for the ASTITM	Federal procurement experience specializing in information technology, performance-based acquisition
Schick, Allen Distinguished University Professor	Federal budgeting, the Congress, public administration
Sullivan, Michael (Mike) Senior Instructor for the ASTITM	Acquisition; business; program management; project execution; organizational dynamics and restructuring
Wengrowski, Bruno S. Instructor for the ASTITM	Government contracting, defense acquisition, contract management

Federal Acquisition Program Manager

Taryn Faulkner

Assistant Director, Admissions & Student Affairs

faulkner@umd.edu