US Contracting Officers are authorized to enter into contracts for the government and must have high qualifications and experience. They must comply with government regulations and maintain records of contracts. Military contracting officers have additional requirements and must pass regular assessments. Officers stationed overseas must have additional international education and knowledge of import/export tariffs.
Entering into contracts for the US government with the authority to pledge public taxpayer funds on behalf of the government is within the authority delegated by law only to US contracting officials. A United States contract officer is the head of a U.S. agency, such as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency or the director’s deputy officer, or a deputy officer in the military, who is usually three or four steps away from the higher command. The education, experience and qualifications required for this responsibility are usually quite high. The duties of a Contracting Officer are strictly authorized in writing through a certificate of appointment which specifies exactly what level of authority is being delegated in terms of monetary amount. Sometimes, a person in this position works on behalf of the US government in overseas stations.
The certificate of appointment indicates the threshold authority held by the officer and this authority is based on qualifying education and experience. Rigorous on-the-job training and years of civilian or military college coursework in specific areas of finance, management, and engineering are typically required. The experiences a candidate has in administering civilian or military contracts or in commercial procurement are then reviewed.
The contracting officer must have a thorough understanding of the practices and guidelines as legally mandated in many government regulations, procedures, and policy statements that require strict compliance in the performance of one’s duties. Any specialized training in the field she is contracting for is a plus. Additionally, the candidate must have a personal reputation for integrity, sound business judgment, and commitment to mission accomplishment.
The tasks of this position can be broadly grouped into three phases: initiating the contracts, taking over the administration of the chosen contracts and concluding the contracts at the end. The contracting officer shall maintain records of contract initiation, supporting decisions, inspection findings, and document each stage of an ongoing purchase of goods, services, or construction work. The goal is to get the best possible value for government taxpayers by tapping into the officers’ talent and negotiating skills. In addition, a contracting officer must complete up to 40 statutory continuing credit hours per year for the authority level he holds.
A military contracting officer has more people to report to, as oversight of the military hierarchy is strictly required in several directives of the military. In addition to the U.S. government’s Civilian Fair Acquisitions Regulations, individual armed services have specific procedural guidelines for compliance from the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) of 1990. In addition, several regular assessments must be passed to maintain acquiring authority.
When a Contracting Officer is stationed overseas, the US Department of State and other government agencies will require additional international education requirements. Training includes the education necessary to engage in acquisitions from foreign companies and administer shipments from the United States to overseas stations. Administration of construction projects, setting up installation facilities and assisting aid agencies are just some of the tasks abroad. Countries also have different import and export tariffs, which a contracting officer must have in-depth knowledge of.
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