The Acquisition Professional Community (APC)
The APC consists of a select group of highly skilled military and civilian acquisition professionals who meet certain education, training, and experience requirements. Department of Navy (DON) Critical Acquisition Positions (CAPs) must be filled with APC members. The other Defense Components also have APCs; however they refer to them as the "Acquisition Corps."
After 1 October 1992, no one may enter a CAP unless he or she is a member of the APC or unless this requirement is waived before the person enters the CAP.
All APC applicants must either be a DON acquisition workforce member graded at GS-13 or above, O-4 or above, or be tentatively selected for a DON CAP.
APC applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees;
- Have completed:
- At least 24 semester credit hours (or academic equivalent) of study from an accredited institution of higher education from among the business-related disciplines of accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management; or
- At least 24 semester hours (or academic equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher education in their primary career field along with 12 semester hours (or academic equivalent) from the management disciplines above;
- Have at least four years of experience in Federal government acquisition positions or comparable positions in the private sector (up to one year may be credited for time spent pursuing a program of academic training or education in acquisition); and
- Be certified or meet all mandatory training required for either Level II or III of the workforce member's primary career field.
Exceptions to Education Requirements:
There are two exceptions to the education requirements:
- The baccalaureate degree and the 24/12 semester hours requirements do not apply to persons who, on 1 October 1991, had at least 10 years of experience in Federal government acquisition positions or in comparable private sector positions. In other words, if the applicant had 10 years of acquisition experience as of 1 October 1991, the person meets the education standards.
- Employees are exempt from the baccalaureate degree requirement if they meet all three of the following conditions:
- Were serving in an acquisition position on 1 October 1991;
- Had less than ten years in acquisition positions as of 1 October 1991; and
- Have 24 semester credit hours in business disciplines. Any combination of college credit courses in business-related subjects and approved equivalency examinations totaling 24 semester credit hours may be used.
Getting into the APC:
Application procedures differ according to your status as military or civilian. See SECNAVINST 5300.36, Part II, Chapter IV.
Civilians: Civilian employees must apply for the APC. The first step is for the employee to file an application for the APC. The immediate supervisor then reviews the application and sends it to an official authorized to select APC members. That official communicates the decision to the applicant. Some commands have added additional steps. Your supervisor can give you the exact procedures that apply within your command.
Navy officers: The personnel records of Navy officers are screened by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to determine if his officer meets APC standards. Officers who meet the APC standards are given the opportunity to join the APC. Navy officers at the O-4 level and above may also apply for membership in the APC. In this case, they forward their application to BUPERS. Navy officers use the same application that civilians use.
Marine Corps officers: Marine Corps military personnel apply for the APC as part of review for assignment of an acquisition Military Occupation Specialty. A Marine Corps APC Selection Board is convened annually to consider applications. The Marine Corps puts out an annual notice specifying the process for making application to the APC.
APC Selection Standards Waiver:
An approved APC Selection Standards Waiver will waive a requirement and permit entry into the APC. An APC Selection Standards Waiver may be used only for an incumbent of a DON CAP or a person tentatively selected for a DON CAP. Other persons; i.e., GS-13s and O-4s not selected for CAPs, must fully meet APC requirements before being selected for APC membership. More detailed information is available in SECNAVINST 5300.36. See SECNAVINST 5300.36, Part II, Chapter IV.
There is one APC selection standard which may not be waived; the grade requirement. You must be at least a GS-13 or O-4 to apply for the APC.
APC Selection Standard Waiver Procedure:
The APC Selection Standard Waiver, described above, is the only waiver that permits an individual to become a full-fledged member of the APC.
There are some situation, however, in which management desires to place an individual in a CAP who is not a member of the APC. While rare, this can be done through approval of a CAP Assignment Waiver. This waiver applies only to one position and does not carry over to any subsequent CAP.
A CAP assignment waiver is initiated by management and approved by the DACM. This type of waiver does not confer membership in the APC. Since the goal of the DON is to have every person who holds a CAP belong to the APC, approval of CAP Assignment waivers will be rare.
Advantages of Joining the APC:
It is important to remember that there is no disadvantage to joining the APC. Being selected for a CAP is like any other assignment process. The person who comes closest to meeting all of the requirements is going to head up the selection list. Since APC membership is a requirement for holding a CAP, those people who either are in the APC or who meet all of the APC selection standards are going to have a competitive edge over those who do not. An APC member (or someone meeting all APC requirements) will find it easier to get a CAP than someone who lacks these qualifications.
If you are a civilian employee, occupy a CAP, and are in the APC, you will have an advantage in the event of a reduction-in-force. Non-APC members cannot bump or retreat into a CAP while APC members can. Additionally, a person who has been waived into the APC is a full APC member. They, too, can bump and retreat into a CAP during a reduction-in-force.
Reciprocity:
There is full reciprocity between the DON and other DOD Component Acquisition Corps. Reciprocity means membership in the DON APC is interchangeable with membership in another DOD Component Acquisition Corps.
Detailed information on the Acquisition Professional Community Membership is provided in SECNAVINST 5300.36, Part II, Chapter IV and Appendix L.
Tenure Requirements for CAP Positions:
In addition to APC membership, there is a tenure requirement. You must serve in the CAP for three years and you must execute a tenure agreement to that effect. Acquisition Category I (ACAT I) Program Managers (PM) and Deputy PMs have a different tenure period.
Waivers for the Tenure Requirement:
There are two types of tenure requirement waivers, both of which are initiated by management and approved by the DACM. The first kind of tenure waiver is a Tenure Obligation Waiver without serving the full tenure requirement. ACAT I PMs and deputy PMs must generally serve four (4) years. All other CAPs have a three year tenure. This type of waiver permits a person to leave a CAP without serving the full amount of time required by the DACM.
The other is a Tenure Agreement Waiver which waives the requirement to sign a tenure agreement. This waiver also may only be granted by the DACM.
