Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 3.djvu/290

 104 STAT. 1642 PUBLIC LAW 101-510—NOV. 5, 1990 that department, shall provide an opportunity for review and inclusion of any comments on any appraisal of the performance of a person serving in an acquisition position by a person serving in an acquisition position in the same acquisition career field. Equal "(h) BALANCED WORKFORCE POLICY.— In the development of deopiwrtunfty^ fense acquisition workforce policies under this chapter with respect to any civilian employees or applicants for employment, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department (as applicable) shall, consistent with the merit system principles set out in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 2301(b) of title 5, take into consideration the need to maintain a balanced workforce in which women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups are appropriately represented in Government service. "§ 1723. General education, training, and experience requirements "(a) QuAUFiCATiON REQUIREMENTS. —The Secretary of Defense shall establish education, training, and experience requirements for each acquisition position, based on the level of complexity of duties carried out in the position. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, such requirements shall take effect not later than October 1, 1993. In establishing such requirements for positions other than critical acquisition positions designated pursuant to section 1733 of this title, the Secretary may state the requirements by categories of positions. " (b) LIMITATION ON CREDIT FOR TRAINING OR EDUCATION. —Not more than one year of a period of time spent pursuing a program of academic training or education in acquisition may be counted toward fulfilling any requirement established under this chapter for a certain period of experience. "§ 1724. Contracting positions: qualincation requirements "(a) CONTRACTING OFFICERS.— The Secretary of Defense shall require that, beginning on October 1, 1993, in order to qualify to serve in an acquisition position as a contracting officer with authority to award or administer contracts for amounts above the small purchase threshold referred to in section 2304(g) of this title, a person must (except as provided in subsections (c) and (d))— "(1) have completed all mandatory contracting courses required for a contracting officer at the grade level, or in the position within the grade of the General Schedule (in the case of an employee), that the person is serving in; "(2) have at least two years of experience in a contracting position; "(3)(A) have received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees, (B) have completed at least 24 semester credit hours (or the equivalent) of study from an accredited institution of higher education in any of the following disciplines: accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management, or (C) have passed an examination considered by the Secretary of Defense to demonstrate skills, knowledge, or abilities comparable to that of an individual who has completed at least 24 semester credit hours (or the equivalent) of study from an accredited institution of higher education in any of the disciplines listed in subparagraph (B); and

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