Acquisition Professional Community - APC - Op & You

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Jan-Feb, 2003

The APC consists of a select group of highly skilled military acquisition professionals who meet specific Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) education, training and experience requirements. They provide the Navy with a combination of both community-related experience and technical acquisition leadership in managing the entire acquisition process.

The traditional strengths in the acquisition career fields of contracting, business financial management, acquisition logistics, and information systems management position the Supply Corps as prime candidates for APC membership. Additionally, many Supply Corps billets require DAWIA certification in these career fields, with billets coded as "Acquisition Critical" requiring both DAWlA certification and APC membership. Officers, especially those in DAWlA coded billets, should aggressively pursue their DAWlA certification to prepare for APC membership.

To become an APC member Supply Corps officers must submit an application to the APC Selection Board held twice annually at the Navy Personnel Command (NPC). The next board is scheduled for March 18, 2003. All applications should be mailed or faxed to PERS-447; phone (901) 8743837; fax (901) 874-2676; address--Navy Personnel Command (PERS-447), 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38055-4470.

All APC applicants must meet the following requirements:

a. Must be 0-4 or above.

b. Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution.

c. Complete at least 24 semester credit hours in business related disciplines of accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organizational management.

d. Be certified at either Level II or III in one of the acquisition career fields or have completed all the training for Level II or Level III.

e. Have at least four years of acquisition experience. (One year of experience can be credited for a baccalaureate degree.)

Currently, all Supply Corps flag officers and 76 percent of all Supply Corps captains are APC members. The value of APC membership has never been more important. It is and will continue to be a significant career milestone for every Supply Corps officer!