EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
DoD introduced the Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project 25 years ago. Since that time, it has revolutionized how agencies within the department have been able to manage its acquisition civilian workforce through a contribution-based approach.
In May Air Force Materiel Command announced its decision to convert an additional 26,000 eligible General Schedule employees to AcqDemo, of which approximately 2,000 are Air Force Test Center personnel.
The AFTC began advertising and filling eligible vacant bargaining unit positions as AcqDemo in June 2024 allowing our AcqDemo workforce to grow through attrition, leading up to the current GS workforce converting in June 2025.
True to their motto "Ad Inexplorata, toward the unexplored” AFTC has been participating in AcqDemo since its introduction in 1999; with currently 53% of the workforce participating in the project. The June 2025 expansion will increase its AcqDemo population to 75%.
“We are thrilled that AcqDemo is being expanded to encompass additional eligible positions across AFTC allowing for greater flexibility to attract and retain top talent for our air, space, and ground testing mission," said Sharon Johnson, AFTC director of personnel.
The 2025 conversion will affect eligible GS employees in bargaining and non-bargaining units across all AFMC installations. Exceptions to conversion include:
- Personnel in ranks above GS-15, such as Senior Executive Staff.
- Non-GS employees, such as Federal Wage System (FWS) employees (WG), leaders (WL), and supervisors (WS).
- Employees in organizations already participating in another personnel system, including their respective GS employees. Examples include the Air Force Research Laboratory's Air Force Laboratory Personnel Demonstration (Lab Demo) Project, and intelligence personnel participating in the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS).
- Locations that have not completed labor negotiations with the local Union.
As the June 2025 conversion date approaches, each converting employee will receive an official notification letter that outlines their projected AcqDemo position information, to include:
- AcqDemo Position Title
- AcqDemo Career Path (NH, NJ, or NK)
- AcqDemo Broadband Level (I, II, or III)
- Series
- Pay Pool ID
AcqDemo consists of three separate career paths and associated pay schedules. Employees are classified as Business and Technical Management Professionals (NH), Technical management Support (NJ) or Administrative Support (NK) based on their specific career series. Each career path consists of broadbands (I, II, III, and/or IV) designed to facilitate pay progression and internal assignment of duties, and to allow for more competitive recruiting of quality candidates at differing pay rates.
Pay increases are linked directly to individual performance ratings, with the opportunity for employees to earn Contribution Rating Increases annually. This differs from the GS workforce which is subject to multi-year periods between higher-level step increases and a two-year waiting requirement for Quality Step Increases.
While terminology, rating cycles, rewards, classification and staffing, and support tools will change with the AcqDemo expansion, benefits and general labor processes will remain the same. This includes retirement, health insurance, life insurance, and other benefits; leave and work schedules; travel allowances; Veterans’ preference; merit system principles; prohibited personnel practices and anti-discrimination laws; and more.
Employees will continue to be covered by the Master Labor Agreement and any other collective bargaining agreement.
To learn more about AcqDemo, visit https://acqdemo.hci.mil/. The site includes information, definitions, training modules and more. A conversion calculator is available at https://acqdemo.hci.mil/conversion_calc.html.
In early 2025 extensive training for AFTC employees, supervisors, and pay pool administrators will start being conducted to enhance the workforces understanding of AcqDemo. AFTC will also host two virtual AcqDemo Knowledge Quest events in the coming months, additional details forthcoming in January 2025. Employees are encouraged to work with their supervisors and to watch for upcoming training events.
For additional information on AcqDemo, employees can also view the AFTC AcqDemo Program Resources SharePoint site (CAC-enabled).