DCMA Brown Bag training benefits work force

Photo By Nick D'Amario | Terri Workman, Defense Contract Management Agency contracts specialist, and Benjamin Kelley, AQ executive services specialist, conduct Brown Bag training Jan. 15, at Fort Lee, Va.  

FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

01.29.2013

Story by Nick D'Amario 

Defense Contract Management Agency

WASHINGTON - The DCMA Contracts directorate offers its own special brand of distance learning to keep their sizeable contract specialist (GS-1102 series) work force up-to-speed on important agency policies, programs, processes and systems … a training regimen that encompasses all 46 Contract Management Offices worldwide.

The two-hour sessions – popularly referred to as “brown bag” training because they occur at lunchtime – offer information from the DCMA headquarters AQ directorate to field personnel in the contract specialist series on policy awareness, new programs , contract closeout processes, contract business systems (accounting, purchasing, estimating, etc.) and more.

Training and instructional material are tailored to the needs of contract specialists, and made available to Contract Management Offices across the U.S. using the Defense Connect Online utility for live sessions. Participation by DMCA employees is on a voluntary basis.

For those stationed at any of the CMOs overseas, the time difference can stretch up to 12 hours, however, according to Catharina Ignacio, DCMA International contracts director, “the training is invaluable for all 1102s, and DCMAI encourages all of our employees stationed overseas to participate when and wherever possible.”

Should participation not be possible, a contract specialist can access training and reference materials via the online AQ portal.

AQ’s brown bag training program had its inception in 2009, with more than 20,000 logins to-date, according to Benjamin Kelley, AQ executive services specialist. In 2012, there were 18 brown bag sessions, with the first for 2013 conducted Jan. 15.

The Jan. 15 training was hosted by Kelley, a veteran of 19 sessions since spring 2012. “Brown Bag attendance has been increasing as people are recognizing the value of the training,” he said.

“We are confident that we will continue to reach the lion’s share of DCMA’s 2,750 GS-1102 series employees,” said Terri Workman, AQ contract specialist, who has been the presenter for five of the training sessions since summer 2012.

“The Brown Bag training concept has been very beneficial in communicating processes, expectation and orienting the 1102 community back to basics,” said Carmel Burke, DCMA Phoenix contract operations director. “Our CMO maintains all training presentations in a shared location which is frequently used for reference, refresher and a training tool for new team members.”

Each training session consists of slide presentations, supporting documentation and policy references to support the dial-in, teleconferenced sessions. The first hour is devoted to subject matter experts conducting various phases of live training, with the second hour devoted to questions and answers.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2013
• Date Posted: 02.05.2013 12:46
• Story ID: 101493
• Location: FORT LEE, VA, US