DOD prepares for acquisition training upgrades

Defense Acquisition University RFI for Acquisition Performance Learning Support

The Defense Acquisition University is preparing to offer new courses and training opportunities for civilian and military acquisition officials, an effort that now costs the Defense Department between $15 million to $25 million a year.

DOD has not yet requested bids, but it plans to schedule an industry day soon to brief companies on its interest in courseware and learning management system configuration services. DOD bought SumTotalSystems’ learning content management system software in fiscal 2005. With contractor help, it plans to configure and install the software this year.

DOD also is interested in whether vendors can offer fixed prices for developing online courses.

As part of the effort to update its acquisition education and training program, DOD is asking companies that sell enterprise architecture, knowledge management and information technology support services to respond by Oct. 28 to a request for information.

The university, located at Fort Belvoir, Va., coordinates the education and training of DOD’s 130,000-member acquisition workforce. It is building reusable software based on publicly developed standards for advanced distributed learning.

DOD officials also say the university plans to pursue a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in the next several years. They are interested in hearing from companies that have helped other organizations complete the Baldridge National Quality Program, which is administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.