Is the acquisition workforce too small -- or too big?

In response to a recent article, a reader has suggested that the Obama administration is trying to solve the wrong problem in government acquisition.

According to the article, Daniel Gordon, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement, is focused on rebuilding the federal acquisition workforce. In fact, the administration has proposed $133 million in fiscal 2011 to hire and train new employees in that field.

But rather than invest millions in hiring and training new acquisition employees, the administration should reduce the number of acquisition systems and contracts that need to be managed, says Steve from Chantilly.

“What the government needs is not more people. It needs better people and systems that support and streamline the acquisition process,” Steve writes. “It doesn't need 800 systems and 300 IDIQ contracts. It needs fewer acquisition resources -- not more.”

What do you say?