{
  "id": "R44695",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R44695",
  "active": true,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 587545,
      "date": "2016-11-22",
      "retrieved": "2020-01-02T15:04:57.671459",
      "title": "The Civil Defense Acquisition Workforce: Enhancing Recruitment Through Hiring Flexibilities",
      "summary": "Policymakers and defense acquisition experts have asserted that improved recruitment for the defense acquisition workforce is a necessary component for comprehensive acquisition reform. To help rebuild the workforce and enhance recruitment, DOD has used several hiring flexibilities authorized by Congress, the President, and OPM in recent years. Hiring flexibilities are a suite of tools that are intended to simplify, and sometimes accelerate, the hiring process. \nThe impact of hiring flexibilities on recruitment and workforce quality, however, remains unclear. Congress may consider three high-level questions regarding hiring flexibilities for the workforce: \nAre flexibilities effectively improving the workforce? \nAre the current number and type of flexibilities appropriate?\nWhat factors may impact effective use of flexibilities to improve the workforce?\nCongress could consider several oversight options to help gauge and improve the effectiveness of flexibilities in improving the civilian defense acquisition workforce. Such options might help Congress determine whether flexibilities should be expanded or newly created, consolidated or removed, or otherwise restructured. Congress could direct DOD to\nprovide data on the use of all available flexibilities to fill the full range of civilian defense acquisition positions, including any barriers to producing such data;\nestablish proxy measures for effectiveness related to employee quality (such as employee timeliness in earning required certifications and retention and career progression rates) and recruitment (such as time to hire from the perspective of the candidate and job acceptance rates);\nconduct a study that evaluates the effectiveness of flexibilities; and\nimprove the quality, clarity, and use of implementing guidance for flexibilities.\nAt least 38 hiring flexibilities are currently available for the civilian defense acquisition workforce. According to DOD, the following six flexibilities were used most frequently to fill external civilian acquisition positions between FY2008 and FY2014: \nDirect-hire authority (DHA)\nExpedited hiring authority (EHA) for certain civilian acquisition positions\nPathways Recent Graduates program\nPathways Internship program\nFederal Career Intern Program\nDelegated examining authority\nThe six flexibilities accounted for roughly 66% of total external civilian acquisition hires between FY2008 and FY2014 (i.e., hires from outside the government). Some of the flexibilities were available throughout the six-year period, while others were discontinued or established during that period. Potential factors affecting the use of flexibilities include their structure, clarity of implementing guidance, establishment of new flexibilities, staff knowledge of appropriate use, budgetary constraints, and efforts to balance hiring speed with equity.",
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  "topics": [
    "American Law",
    "National Defense"
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}