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AGU Course 603 Equivalent to DAU's CON 216

AGU Course 601 Equivalent to Three DAU Courses

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Master of Acquisition
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News That Impacts Your Career

RESEARCH MONOGRAPH EXPLORES THE VALUE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A multi-year study commissioned by the Project Management Institute (PMI) represents the largest study of how project management creates value for organizations and defines project management as far more than tactical, operational standards and guidelines.

Full article

LEGISLATION REFORM DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRESS INTRODUCED
Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and John McCain (R-AZ), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have introduced the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 (S. 454), legislation that would improve the organization and procedures of the Department of Defense (DOD) for the acquisition of major weapon systems.

Full article

ISM LAUNCHES KNOWLEDGE CENTER OFFERING – CPSM® BRIDGE ONLINE REVIEW
The latest tool for supply professionals seeking to acquire the Certified Professional in Supply Management® (CPSM®) qualification is now available.

Full article

ISM’S 94^TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE AND EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT
The Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) is presenting the 94th Annual International Supply Management Conference and Educational Exhibit on May 3-6, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Full article

STIMULUS LAW REQUIRES FIXED-PRICE CONTRACTS
Contractors are likely to see more fixed-price contracts for work that comes out of the stimulus law. The law (H.R. 1) requires the government to spend the stimulus money under fixed-price contracts as much as possible.

Full article

PAPER MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADMINISTRATION ON IMPROVING ACQUISITION
In a new paper from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Allan Burman, adjunct professor at George Mason University and former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), offers recommendations from the Acquisition Reform Working Group on steps the Obama administration should take to improve acquisition outcomes.

Full article

AGU Update

New MBA Program Available
AGU began offering a new General Management MBA program in January 2009. The objective of this program is to provide a well structured, yet varied knowledge of the principles and practices of management.

Full article

New  AGU 2009 Degree & Certificate Catalog

New Catalog on AGU Website
Check out our new 2009 Degree & Certificate Catalog. AGU has also recently added several new programs in the area of supply chain management and general management.

Full article

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
MBA Next Logical Step in Student’s Career Progression
Eric MacGregor realized an MBA was the next logical step in his career progression and decided on AGU because it allowed him to focus on his field of Contract Management while still earning a traditional MBA.

Full article

News That Impacts Your Career

RESEARCH MONOGRAPH EXPLORES THE VALUE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Researching the Value of Project Management is a multi-year study commissioned by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and conducted by researchers Janice Thomas and Mark Mullaly, PMP, through Athabasca University in Athabasca, Alberta, Canada. The study looked at more than 60 case studies from a globally dispersed array of industries.

Altogether, 48 academics from four continents were involved, operating as a virtual team to collect and analyze 65 case studies from around the world. This research represents the largest study of how project management creates value for organizations. The 65 studies define project management as far more than tactical, operational standards and guidelines, and embrace it as a way to develop collaboration, increase communication, improve decision making and deliver many tangible and intangible benefits.

Tangible benefits were realized in 47% of the organizations studied. They ranged from cost savings (17%), increased revenues (27%), and decreased write-offs (15%) to customer retention (22%) and increased customer (17%) and market share (7%). Not surprisingly, perhaps, those organizations able to provide evidence of tangible benefits from investments in project management were those that delivered projects for customers (in engineering, construction or information technology) or project management support services. Surprisingly though, there did not appear to be any correlation between a firm's project management experience and the level of tangible benefits they were able to realize.

Almost all organizations in the sample received intangible benefits from their investment in project management, and many of them reported these as the most significant benefits garnered. Intangible benefits included attainment of strategic objectives (63%); more effective use of human resources (63%); improved overall management (61%); improved corporate culture (56%); improved reputation (53%); improved regulatory compliance (24%); improved competitiveness (22%); greater social good (15%); new product/service streams (8%); improved staff retention (8%); and improved quality of life (3%). Interestingly, the intangible benefits do appear to be positively correlated with increases in project management maturity. While tangible benefits realized were not correlated with an organization's project management competence, intangible benefits were.

What may be the most important finding of the study is that what was implemented in the name of project management, and the results that were received from the investment, varied dramatically from one organization to another. The researchers found that the "fit" between the organization's strategy, culture, industry, economic environment and resources (human and other) and what is implemented to help manage projects seems to determine the level and kind of benefits realized. The suggestion is truly that there is no "one size fits all" approach to project management. While the existing guidelines, methods and approaches to project management can provide a valid starting point for developing project management competency, it is really the business's efforts to customize and build internal "ownership" and expertise of the project management system that delivers positive returns on investment.

The monograph, "Researching the Value of Project Management," may be obtained from the PMI Bookstore (www.pmi.org).

LEGISLATION REFORM DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRESS INTRODUCED
Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and John McCain (R-AZ), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have introduced the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 (S. 454), legislation that would improve the organization and procedures of the Department of Defense (DOD) for the acquisition of major weapon systems. In his introductory remarks on the bill, Levin noted that, overall, DOD's five major defense acquisition programs have exceeded their research and development budgets by an average of 40 percent, and experienced an average cost growth of 26 percent and schedule delays of nearly two years, because of fundamental flaws in the acquisition system. "DOD acquisition programs fail because the Department continues to rely on unreasonable cost and schedule estimates, establish unrealistic performance expectations, insist on the use of immature technologies, and adopt costly changes to program requirements, production quantities and funding levels in the middle of ongoing programs," he explained. To identify and address major problems early on, the bill would require DOD to:

• Reestablish systems engineering organizations and developmental testing capabilities
• Make trade-offs between cost, schedule, and performance early in the program cycle
• Conduct preliminary design reviews before giving approval to new acquisition programs

The legislation would address problems with unreasonable cost and schedule estimates by establishing a new, independent director of cost assessment to ensure that unbiased data are available for senior DOD managers. It would address problems with the use of immature technologies by requiring the director of defense research and engineering to periodically review and assess the maturity of critical technologies, and by directing the department to make greater use of prototypes, including competitive prototypes, to prove that new technologies work before trying to produce them. In addition, the bill would tighten Nunn-McCurdy requirements for underperforming programs to provide for the termination of any such program that cannot be justified after undergoing a complete reexamination and revalidation. Levin indicated that he has scheduled an acquisition reform hearing before his committee next week.

ISM LAUNCHES KNOWLEDGE CENTER OFFERING – CPSM® BRIDGE ONLINE REVIEW
The latest tool for supply professionals seeking to acquire the Certified Professional in Supply Management® (CPSM®) qualification is now available. Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) now offers a CPSM® Bridge Exam Online Review Course through the ISM Knowledge Center. A special introductory member price of $99 is available through May 6, 2009. Regular cost is $195 for ISM members, $295 for nonmembers. As with all ISM Knowledge Center online courses, supply professionals have access to their desired courses for one year starting from the date of purchase.

The CPSM® Bridge Exam Online Review Course is for current Certified Purchasing Managers (C.P.M.s) with a bachelor's degree who are preparing for the CPSM® Bridge Exam. C.P.M.s in good standing who meet CPSM® requirements have the advantage of taking a single CPSM® Bridge Exam instead of the CPSM® Exam, which is comprised of three separate tests.

Participants get an in-depth review and assessment of the material in the CPSM® Study Guide by tailoring their course to their specific study needs. The course includes sample test questions, case studies and bonus supplemental content developed by subject-matter experts.

CPSM® Bridge Exam candidates can register for the online review course at www.ism-knowledgecenter.ws.

ISM’S 94^TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE AND EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT
The Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) is presenting the 94th Annual International Supply Management Conference and Educational Exhibit on May 3-6, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ISM has organized workshop sessions into five educational tracks, including: Track 1 – Doing Business in China; Track 2 – Talent Management; Track 3 – Headwinds and Trends; Track 4 – Best Practices in Supply Management; and Track 5 – Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Green Issues.

There will also be three mini-sessions in Project Management, Business Continuity, and Services Procurement.

In addition, there will be a selection of general supply management topics and workshops on new trends and innovations.

More information can be obtained at www.ism.ws.

STIMULUS LAW REQUIRES FIXED-PRICE CONTRACTS
Contractors are likely to see more fixed-price contracts for work that comes out of the stimulus law. The law (H.R. 1) requires the government to spend the stimulus money under fixed-price contracts as much as possible.

The provision is another step in a congressional crackdown on contracts that give companies rewards for their work. The fiscal 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, which became law in October, includes provisions that restrict the use of cost-reimbursement contracts and incentive-based contracts.

The House Appropriations Committee included the fixed-price provision in its version of the stimulus bill, but the Senate had no such language. As representatives from the House and Senate worked out the details of the final bill, they added the short provision.

The provision also includes another oversight requirement. Contracts without a fixed price and awarded without competition for the work must be posted in a special section of Recovery.gov, according to the law signed by President Barack Obama today. Recovery.gov is a portal to key information on how the government is spending the stimulus money.

PAPER MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADMINISTRATION ON IMPROVING ACQUISITION
In a new paper from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Allan Burman, adjunct professor at George Mason University and former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), offers recommendations from the Acquisition Reform Working Group on steps the Obama administration should take to improve acquisition outcomes. They include:

• Providing agency chief acquisition officers (CAOs) with the responsibility and authority to oversee both contracting and program management to ensure collaboration in all aspects of the acquisition process.
• Designating career senior procurement executives as deputies to CAOs to ensure complete coordination of agency-wide acquisition functions.
• Implementing a human capital strategic planning process that incorporates both federal and contractor resources needed to accomplish agency missions.
• Providing sufficient resources to ensure the right people with the right skills are in place to carry out all aspects of the acquisition function.
• Creating business councils composed of the agency leaders in acquisition, finance, information technology, and human resources to report directly to the agency head at each civilian agency.

In addition, the working group suggests transforming OFPP into the Office of Federal Acquisition Policy and including agency program managers under its jurisdiction, which would give the office parallel responsibilities to CAOs. "Doing this and ensuring the Office is adequately resourced would probably do more than anything to bring about the kind of collaboration between program and contracting staff that the Working Group saw as critical to effecting real acquisition reform across the government," the paper states. It is the only recommendation that would require legislation.

AGU Update

New MBA Program Available
AGU began offering a new General Management MBA program in January 2009. The objective of this program is to provide a well structured, yet varied knowledge of the principles and practices of management. It offers the opportunity to study the role of the senior manager, and to learn the strategies, tactics, and functions associated with the leadership and management of an entire enterprise, in addition to the individual functions that make up business organizations.

Certain courses provide a detailed knowledge of management principles as they are related to the individual functional areas such as marketing, operations, supply chain management, finance and accounting. Other courses provide knowledge of the quantitative and qualitative tools of management and strengthen the students' understanding of the human, social, organizational, governmental, and environmental problems associated with business.

This program is designed to produce superior senior level managers, provide a generalist perspective, and increase the marketability of the participant's skills and experience in today's competitive marketplace.

The program consists of 16 courses – 48 units. Students will also have to complete an approved project. Information on the new MBA program is available on the AGU website.

New Catalog on AGU Website
Check out our new 2009 Degree & Certificate Catalog. AGU has also recently added several new programs in the area of supply chain management and general management. To register for your next course (or courses), go to the online AGU Student Center. If you have questions about what course you should take next based on your particular program course of study, please email to studentservices@patten.edu or call an AGU Academic Advisor at 1-877-351-9060, ext. 1003.

Advance Your Career With AGU

AGU COURSE 603 EQUIVALENT TO DAU'S CON 216
AGU's Course 603 "Government Contract Law" has received equivalency to
the Defense Acquisition University course CON 216 "Legal Considerations
in Contracting". AGU students completing Course 603 can now receive
credit from DAU for their course CON 216.

AGU COURSE 601 EQUIVALENT TO THREE DAU COURSES
American Graduate University has achieved equivalency for its Course 601, “Federal Government Contracting,” for several Defense Acquisition University courses. The DAU courses are CON 110, “Mission Support Planning,” CON 111, “Mission Planning Execution,” and CON 112, “Mission Performance Assessment.” AGU students completing the 30 module distance education course will receive credit for the three DAU courses. AGU Course 601 includes coverage on:

In addition, AGU faculty and staff will be working on developing several new distance courses to apply for equivalency to other DAU courses.

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