What is DAWIA?
The Certification Process
Career Levels
Enlisted Personnel
Applying for Certification
Waivers
Acquisition Career Fields
The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA)
DAWIA, passed in 1990, was enacted to improve the overall effectiveness and professionalism of military and civilian personnel charged with management and administration of Defense acquisition programs. DAWIA emphasized improving the education, training and experience levels of acquisition professionals.
The Certification Process
DoD implemented DAWIA by establishing a certification process. All personnel working in acquisition positions must be certified. Certification is the process through which the DON determines that an individual meets the minimum mandatory education, training, and work experience requirements established for an acquisition career field and position. Each acquisition career field and position category is divided into three career levels for the purposes of establishing education, training and experience standards.
Career Levels
The career levels are described as follows:
- Level I (Basic Level): This level is for individuals in the civilian grades of GS-05 through GS-08 (except for civilians in the purchasing career field) and military grades of O-1 through O-3. Basic level training standards are designed to establish fundamental qualifications and expertise in the individual's job series, functional area or career field. Development at the basic level lays the foundation for career progression and is designed to prepare qualified, motivated personnel for positions of increasing responsibility.
- Level II (Intermediate Level): This level is for individuals in the civilian grades of GS-09 through GS-12 (except for civilians in the purchasing career field) and military grade of O-4. At the beginning of the intermediate level, specialization is emphasized, then an individual should later begin to broaden his or her background toward a more general expertise in the overall processes of their career field. Development of the experience in the individual's primary career field should optimally be followed by a lateral movement to a related specialty.
- Level III (Senior Level): This level is for individuals in the civilian grades of GS-13 (except for civilians in the purchasing career field) and above and military grades of O-5 and above. By the time an individual reaches Level III, he or she should have completed all the mandatory training and education requirements up to that level and should have advanced through a career pattern that has given them an in-depth knowledge in their career field and breadth of knowledge across the entire acquisition process.
For Purchasing Levels: For purchasing, GS-5 is level I; GS-6 through 8 are level II and GS-9 is level III.
OUSD(A&T) memorandum of 07 July 98 announced a change to the certification requirements for workforce members in the Purchasing career field. The Defense Contracting Career Management Functional Board has made a change to the training requirement for the Purchasing career field to require CON 101 (vice PUR 101) at Level I and CON 202 vice (PUR 201) at Level II. This decision was based on recent reforms in contracting laws that require that the enhanced skills taught in the contracting courses be taught to all workforce members awarding contracts above the micro-purchase threshold, including those in the 1105 series.
This change went into effect 01 October 1998 and appears in the FY99 Certification Checklists.
Enlisted Personnel
Enlisted billets may be identified in the DAWIA workforce; however, this is done on a case-by-case basis after consultation with the DACM. The certification requirements for enlisted personnel are at Level I in the appropriate career field for the designated position (e.g., program management; acquisition logistics). Any changes in personnel filling the identified/approved DAWIA workforce positions for enlisted personnel must be reported to the DACM.
Applying for Certification
CERTIFICATION STANDARDS CHECKLIST
This checklist, found in the DAU catalog, is organized by acquisition career field and career field level and defines requirements for progression from one level to the next.
Register-Now for Career Field Certification (New online application process)
Waivers
When individuals enter into their DAWIA positions, their organizations have 18 months in which to certify them to the level of their position. Mandatory certification standards (education, work experience, and training) must be met NO LATER THAN 18 months after the assignment or a waiver must be obtained per SECNAVINST 5300.36, Part II, Chapter 5 and SECNAVINST 5300.36, Appendix M
