Warrant Authority? — The "New Year" Issue
Keaston D. Simmons
Doctoral (Ed.D.) Candidate, University of Pennsylvania | United States Air Force (6C0X1, Contracting) Veteran
Above the Threshold
Happy new year, and welcome to a new issue of Warrant Authority?! This week, I'll recap the federal acquisition workforce statistics for the month of December and provide insights on the newest career opportunities to help you navigate your career as we start this new year. I've only been publishing this newsletter for about three weeks and I'm grateful for the 320 subscribers who've joined me so far. My intent with this newsletter is to empower YOU — the next generation of federal acquisition workforce leaders — with the intelligence, analysis, and community you need to help you advance your career in the new year. So, if you're a returning reader, thank you for your continued support! If you're a new reader, subscribe now to receive the newest issue directly in your inbox every Sunday. With that said, I have plans to expand the Warrant Authority? brand this year to include more comprehensive support of you and your career. Such support will include personalized career services only available to subscribers (e.g., career strategy, resume writing, interview preparation, leadership development coaching, etc.).
Stay tuned for more details!
Leading Indicators
Last month, there were 365 new GS-1102 opportunities posted to USAJOBS. Having recently started tracking these postings, I don't have a way to compare this to previous months; however, what I can say is that this number far exceeded my expectations for the month of December. With the holidays and general end-of-year (i.e., relaxing and/or "out of office") vibe, I didn't expect so much activity on this front. Here are a few key indicators from the last month of 2024:
? Average Number of Days Open: On average, job postings were open 15.6 days; however, there were some roles which were only open for one day. This typically occurs when an agency has a particular candidate in mind as the one day application period limits the number of responses which might be received.
? Entry-Level Oversight: Only 7%, or 19 of the 365 job postings, were for entry-level professionals — with 1 at the GS-5 level and 18 at the GS-7 level. The limited number of entry-level job postings across all agencies continues to indicate a lack of focus on recruiting entry-level professionals into the career field.
? Closed Labor Market: 70.9%, or 255, of all job postings were closed to the "Public" hiring path with the vast majority of all postings (69%) being open to "Surplus/Displaced" federal employees. Additionally, while the GS-1102 career field benefits from "Direct Hire Authority" in grades 11-15 as a STEM career field, only 9.6% of job postings utilized this authority — foregoing the potential for a quicker and more streamlined hiring process.
? Wide Salary Ranges: The minimum starting salary across all job postings was $39,576.00, while the maximum starting salary was $198,776.00. This reflects a wide range of salaries across the GS-1102 career field; however, the average starting salary was $102,190.03 — solidifying the field's status as a six-figure career pathway.
? Mid-to-Senior Level Challenges: 37.4%, or 102, of all job postings were for the GS-13 level indicating a significant need for professionals transitioning from the mid-level (i.e., GS-9 through GS-12) to the senior-level (GS-13 and higher) of the career field. Additionally, 24.5%, or 67, of all job postings were for the GS-12 level.
This last indicator speaks to a topic I had several conversations about during last year's NCMA World Congress in Seattle: the inability of federal departments and agencies to successfully recruit mid-career professionals for experienced roles. Several potential reasons for this were echoed by federal attendees, but many were speculative. To better understand this issue, agencies should conduct both a needs assessment and root cause analysis to get to the heart of the issue. I'm interested in helping solve this problem, so if you're an HR professional or Acquisition Career Manager at a federal department, agency, or partner, send me a DM and let's set-up a time talk and explore this further!
Policy & Procedure
Summary:
OMB's December 19, 2024 memorandum establishes a framework for strengthening domestic semiconductor supply chains through federal procurement. The policy requires agencies to forecast acquisitions over $100M, develop strategic sourcing plans, and implement mechanisms for dual and multiple sourcing of semiconductors. Key deadlines include June 2025 for procurement forecasts and December 2025 for agency strategic plans. The guidance emphasizes domestic manufacturing requirements, particularly for critical infrastructure and IT acquisitions, while introducing flexible contracting approaches including price preferences, milestone payments, and advance market agreements.
Key Takeaways:
?? Begin documenting semiconductor dependencies in current contracts to prepare for future requirements
?? Review existing market research protocols to incorporate domestic manufacturing considerations
?? Explore training needs around semiconductor supply chain management and dual sourcing strategies
The Docket
Summary:
GAO dismissed Orion's protest of a Corps of Engineers contract award to McCarthy Building Companies for Houston Ship Channel construction services. Orion challenged the evaluation and source selection but was deemed not an interested party after one of its two proposed Site Safety and Health Officers (SSHO) left the company before award. Although Orion offered the lowest price ($150M vs McCarthy's $181.5M), GAO found Orion's proposal became technically unacceptable when it failed to notify the agency that a key person became unavailable. The presence of two other acceptable offerors (McCarthy and Offeror C) meant Orion would not be next in line for award even if its protest succeeded.
Lessons Learned:
?? Validation: Verify continuing availability of proposed key personnel prior to award decision
?? Documentation: Create clear record of key personnel requirements and substitution procedures
?? Timing: Make award decisions promptly once evaluations complete to minimize personnel turnover risk
Summary:
The Court of Federal Claims denied STC's protest of NASA's award of the Aircraft and Spaceflight Systems Engineering Support Services (ASSESS) contract to Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA). While STC's proposed price ($99.1M) was lower than AMA's ($103.7M), the court found NASA reasonably evaluated the proposals and made upward cost adjustments to both based on STC's failure to provide adequate documentation for its cost estimates. NASA determined AMA's higher technical ratings under Mission Suitability and Past Performance factors outweighed the price difference. The court ruled NASA's best value determination was rational and denied STC's request for injunctive relief.
Lessons Learned:
?? Documentation: Require offerors to fully substantiate proposed costs with clear supporting data
?? Best Value: Thoroughly document how technical superiority justifies paying price premium
?? Cost Realism: Follow systematic process to analyze cost elements and adjust unrealistic estimates
领英推荐
Career Opportunities
For Applicants
I want to make the job search easier for you going forward. With that said, I will be providing subscribers access to the official Warrant Authority? job board soon! It will include both public and private sector opportunities, not just those on USAJOBS, to help you successfully navigate your federal acquisition career.
For now, you can view the complete list of USAJOBS opportunities at the following link:
For Employers
If you're an employer interested in advertising your roles, DM me and let's chat about you can get can access.
Multiple Events Schedule
Winter Membership Meeting
Date: January 15, 2025 @ 3:30-7pm ET
Location: Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 22202
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is one of the leading federal agencies in implementing in Cloud, Customer Experience, SecDevOps and Cybersecurity capabilities. The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a vital role in overseeing the agency's technology strategies and initiatives, ensuring that technology effectively supports the Homeland Security mission.
Join Srinivas (Seenu) Talasila , Dave Larrimore , Diego Lapiduz , and J. Matt Gilkeson for a panelist discussion on the role of the CTO in technology strategy and vision, how CTOs help foster a culture of innovation, highlights of DHS's IT Strategic Plan, and how DHS CTOs collaborate to meet mission objectives.
Nexus 2025
Date: February 9-12, 2025
Location: Long Beach, CA
Nexus 2025 is where industry and government acquisition teams will shatter the “we’ve-always-done-it-this-way” mindset. Come tackle, dismantle, and improve outdated processes and engage in open and unfiltered dialogue. Earn CPE/CLE credits while rethinking the status quo.
Determination & Findings
Key labor market indicators from December's federal acquisition workforce data reveal concerning structural challenges that merit leadership attention:
The persistence of "mid-career bloat" is evident in the disproportionate concentration of GS-13 vacancies (37.4% of all postings), coupled with limited entry-level recruiting (only 7% at GS-5/7 levels). This imbalanced workforce pyramid suggests potential succession planning gaps.
The restricted labor market access, with 70.9% of positions closed to public applicants, may be artificially constraining the talent pool. The underutilization of Direct Hire Authority (only 9.6% of postings) despite its availability for GS-11+ positions represents a missed opportunity to streamline recruitment.
Recent bid protest decisions further highlight critical areas requiring proactive management:
? Personnel validation protocols require strengthening, as demonstrated in the Orion GAO decision where failure to notify the agency of key personnel unavailability rendered a technically superior, lower-priced proposal ineligible.
? Cost documentation standards must be rigorously enforced, as shown in the STC Court of Federal Claims case where inadequate substantiation of proposed costs justified upward price adjustments despite offering the lowest price.
Looking ahead, new OMB semiconductor supply chain requirements will demand enhanced market research capabilities and strategic sourcing expertise. Agencies should begin assessing their acquisition workforce's readiness to execute these more complex procurements requiring domestic sourcing validation.
These findings suggest agencies must balance addressing immediate staffing needs while building long-term workforce development capabilities - particularly around succession planning, technical evaluation protocols, and emerging policy requirements.
Until next week...
Your partner in public service,
Keaston D. Simmons | Editor, Warrant Authority?
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