Skills Wiki for New Government Hires

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Government Systems

Procurement

This section includes resources on federal procurement, which is the process by which the government contracts for goods and services. The resources include guides on different strategies for procurement, and trainings on how to work and contract with vendors.

TOP RECOMMENDATIONS:

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Purchasing Programs⁠

(General Services Administration) A set of resources to help federal employees and procurement specialists navigate the purchase of products and services from commercial vendors. The resources include specific guidance for technology programs, travel programs, requisition, and human capital management systems.

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Overview of the Federal Procurement Process and Resources⁠

(Congressional Research Service) An overview of the federal procurement process, as well as resources for businesses attempting to bid for government contracts.

Resources for Procurement Specialists

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Contracting Guidance to Support Modular Development⁠

(White House) A guide for contracting officers and IT managers on modular development, a software design technique that encourages separating programs into independent pieces that each focus on one aspect of the overall function. The guide includes advice on whether to award projects to a single vendor or multiple vendors; how to ensure appropriate competition at various stages of the contracting process; how specific statements of work should be; how to set pricing arrangements; and how to promote opportunities for small business.

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Emergency Acquisitions Guide⁠

(Office of Management and Budget) A guide for federal contractors on procurement during major disaster declarations and other emergencies.

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Guidebook for Performance-Based Services Acquisition in the Department of Defense⁠

(Department of Defense) A guide to incorporating performance evaluations into the Department of Defense’s service acquisition processes.

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Mission Support Leadership Program⁠

(Partnership for Public Service) A course hosted by the Partnership for Public Service for federal employees in acquisitions, financial management, HR, and IT at the GS-12 to -14 levels seeking to develop their leadership skills. Runs several times per year with a fee.

Resources for All Federal Customers

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Buy Accessible Products and Services⁠

(General Services Administration) A step-by-step guide to ensuring that procured products and services comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act from the pre-award phase onward. Section 508 requires that the technology used by federal agencies be made accessible to people with disabilities.

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Federal Acquisition Institute Knowledge Center⁠

(Federal Acquisition Institute) A suite of resources specifically for hiring and training government acquisition specialists.

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Contracts and Acquisition Training⁠

(General Services Administration) A suite of courses offered by the GSA’s Customer Service Directors for federal employees on how the government can contract with outside partners. Employees can request training by completing a form on the page. Most resources are geared toward federal customers, but some may be helpful for members of industry as well.

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Update to the Federal Acquisition Council Manager’s Guide to Competitive Sourcing: 2nd Edition⁠

(Federal Acquisition Council) A compilation of basic facts, sources, and aids to help agency managers understand the competitive sourcing process.

GAP ANALYSIS:

The procurement resources we found assume a basic knowledge of what procurement is and how various federal procurement systems work. Many of the resources are also not specific to technology procurement. Based on our assessment, no resource exists that would help a technologist new to government understand what procurement is, how it affects their work, and how to successfully navigate the procurement process on the government’s side. This is especially problematic given the importance of federal procurement processes for federal technology projects and the current push for

federal procurement reform⁠

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Budgeting This section includes resources on the federal budgeting process, including an overview of the federal budget and guidance for agencies.⁠

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Human Resources This section provides resources related to human resources (HR) structures in government. Some resources are intended to help employees navigate workplace policies themselves, while others are targeted at HR professionals who would help onboard new employees.⁠

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