A Manpower Model for U.S. Navy Operational Contracting

The Acquisition Advisory Panel (2007) and Gansler Report (2007) have both expressed concerns that the DoD contracting workforce is not adequate in size to handle the current contracting workload. Core to determining the correct workforce size is establishment of a proven manning model that can be used throughout the DoD to estimate the number of contracting specialists required to handle a given workload. This project looked at the demand factors that two U.S. Navy systems commands (SYSCOMs) use to signal when they need more contracting full-time equivalents (FTEs). The study applied the Air Force Manning Standard Operational Contracting model to Naval Supply Systems Commands contracting workload. Results show that the model effectively estimates manning for that SYSCOM. The results suggest that the model could be used to estimate contracting FTE manning in other DoD major commands.