WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force Test Center/Directorate of Personnel reported the conversion to the Department of Defense Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo) employees appraisal and pay system complete. The conversion effort included a majority of civilians assigned to Air Force Materiel Command.
In 1999, Congress provided Department of Defense (DoD) agencies personnel demonstration project authority to support complex acquisition mission and workforce needs. DoD implemented AcqDemo as a contribution-based, broadband compensation, and personnel system for acquisition organizations. AcqDemo expansion was interrupted from 2007 through 2010 by the Congressionally-directed National Security Personnel System (NSPS). AcqDemo, although similar to NSPS as a broadband system, differed from NSPS through its design and management flexibilities. Also, unlike NSPS, AcqDemo garnered union support as it required for local bargaining agreements.
After Congress repealed NSPS, AcqDemo participation returned to 16,000 and remained stable until 2015. Since 1999, Congress has repeatedly extended AcqDemo’s temporary authority, which now would expire on December 31, 2023. As a result of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 extension, AcqDemo participation has more than doubled. By September 2019, the population count has expanded to approximately 45,000. To enhance DoD’s AcqDemo success, Congress, transferred full management authority for AcqDemo from the Office of Personnel Management to the Secretary of Defense. Using the new SECDEF authority, DoD positioned itself to make the most significant improvements to the AcqDemo design and management flexibilities since 1999.