February 14, 1999: Department of Defense  Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project

The Air Force Flight Test Center became the first Air Force organization to implement the Department of Defense  Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project. This was an innovative system of civilian workforce management intended to attract and motivate a high-quality workforce. The testing period was expected to run for five years

Acquisition Demonstration was developed and implemented to provide the DoD Acquisition Community with initiatives designed to enhance the effectiveness of personnel programs and processes. Please spend some time becoming familiar with our project.  Beginning with the Naval Aviation Warfare Center - Weapons Division at China Lake in California, Congress has provided DoD special personnel demonstration authorities to support complex laboratory mission and technical workforce needs. In 1999, Congress provided DoD similar personnel demonstration project authority to support DoD’s 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, differs from NSPS through its design and management flexibilities. Also, unlike NSPS, AcqDemo garners union support as it requires for local union 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 After Congress repealed NSPS, AcqDemo participation returned to 16,000 and remained stable until 2015.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 (NDAA) 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, through the FY17 NDAA, transferred full management authority for AcqDemo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF). Using the new SECDEF authority, DoD is now positioned to make the most significant improvements to the AcqDemo design and management flexibilities since 1999