DSAM Courses

Overview

The Defense Systems Acquisition Management course meets the needs of defense industry acquisition managers in today's dynamic environment, providing the latest information related to:

• Defense acquisition policy for weapons and information technology systems including discussion of the new DoD 5000 series (directive, instruction, and guidebook).
• Defense acquisition and reform and initiatives.
• Defense acquisition procedures and processes.
• The Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process, and the Congressional budget process.
• The relationship between capability needs determination, resource allocation, science and technology activities, and acquisition programs.

Taught by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), the course uses the same acquisition policy information provided to DoD students who attend DAU courses for formal acquisition certification.

Target Audience: Industry program managers, assistant program managers, systems engineers, industry personnel serving on DoD Integrated Product Teams, and other personnel that must interface with DoD program offices involved in program development and execution. The result of successful completion of this course is a comprehensive understanding of the environment and driving forces affecting your DoD counterparts that will significantly increase your awareness and effectiveness in dealing with programmatic issues. The course is also open to a limited number of DoD personnel in grades 04-06 and GS-13-15, tuition free. Government students should already be certified at Level II to obtain maximum benefit from this course. Government employees and supervisors may apply the DSAM course towards fulfillment of the DoD requirement for acquisition workforce personnel to earn 80 continuous learning (CL) points every two years. DSAM counts for 34 CL points, or 3.4 Continuous Education Units (CEU).

Course of Instruction

Management in the Acquisition Environment
The first block of instruction will identify the major participants in the DoD acquisition process and their roles. It will cover such areas as the responsibilities and perspectives of the major players – the program management processes (Defense Acquisition Board review system and the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process) – to review and control acquisition at the DoD level.

Acquisition Life Cycle Process
This block will focus on the objectives, responsibilities, activities, interrelationships, and concerns of each phase of the weapon system acquisition life cycle. This includes research and development, program initiation, and the transition from development to production. Instruction will cover the new DoD 5000 series (directive, instruction, and guidebook).

Challenges to Program Management
This block covers several diverse subjects that are critical to the success of the DoD program manager. A highlight of this section is a case study based upon a real-world acquisition program.

Application of Acquisition Procedures
This portion of instruction covers the specific application of the acquisition procedures by the military services and the management issues currently facing the DoD program manager. The course will end with a detailed case study where participants develop an acquisition strategy master calendar to carry an acquisition program through its entire life cycle.

Faculty

Defense Acquisition University (DSMC)

Ms. Karen Byrd, Professor and Program Learning Director, Systems Acquisition Management
A native of Virginia, Ms. Byrd earned an associates degree in business management from Northern Virginia Community College in 1983; and a bachelors in management from George Mason University in 1986.  She earned her masters degree in conflict management and communication from George Mason University in 1999. Ms Byrd entered the civil services as a high school senior, going to high school part time and working at the Pentagon for the Commander Naval Operations, Special Operations section from 1967 until 1969.  In 1969, she left the government and worked as an office manager for a small business construction company specializing in government construction contracts until 1973.  From 1973 until 1986 she spent her time raising her two children and pursuing her college degrees.  She returned to government service in 1986 working as a contract specialist for the Naval Air Systems Command (located then in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia) on a variety of high profile major weapons systems (V-22 Engine, Phoenix Missile, Sidewinder Missile, MH53 Engine, F-18 E/F Engine.  In 1995 she moved to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (later named the Missile Defense Agency) serving as the contracting team lead for an Israeli cooperative program.  She also served as the contracting team lead for several services contracts and various research and development efforts.  While at Ballistic Missile, Ms. Byrd attained her DAWIA Level III certification in Contracting.  Ms. Byrd joined the faculty of the Naval Center for Acquisition Training (NCAT) in 1997, teaching the Basics of Contracting; Intermediate Contracting; Principles of Contract Pricing; Intermediate Contract Pricing; Intermediate Systems Acquisition, and Performance Base Services Acquisition courses.  In 1999 she designed and served as the team lead in writing the Alternative Dispute Resolution workshop which has been taught within and outside of the United States.  She attained her DAWIA Level III certification in Program Management in 2000.   Also in  2000, as part of a reorganization, NCAT merged with the Defense Acquisition University and Ms. Byrd was assigned to the Capitol and Northeast Region of the Defense Acquisition University in the Program Management and Leadership (PML) Department.  She served as the Course Manager for the Intermediate Systems Acquisition Course since 2002.  In January 2005, Ms. Byrd completed an assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan where she and three of her fellow professors developed and presented project management training to the Afghanistan National Army.  Ms. Byrd teaches the Program Management Office Course (PMT-352), facilitates the Program Manager Startup Workshop for industry and government integrated product teams, and consults and supports various government organization on topics including program management, contracting, conflict resolution, and team building.  She is currently the DAU Program Learning Director for Acquisition Certification developing and managing curriculum development and various acquisition continuous learning modules.

Class Size

Plan ahead! The class is limited to 42 students, and registrations are accepted on a first paid, first served basis.

Attendance

This intense 4-1/2 day seminar presents current government acquisition programs and requirements and, through guided student interaction and team exercises, applies them to the realities of industry operations. In order for you to gain maximum benefit from this course and for others to gain from your perspectives and experience, all students are expected to fully participate in all scheduled course activities. Departure times should be based upon course completion at 12:00 Noon on Friday. Please plan travel accordingly.

Inquiries

For further information, please contact Michelle Hariston at (703) 247-9478 or e-mail to mhariston@ndia.org. Government students please contact Ms. Karen Byrd at (703) 805-5411 or e-mail to karen,byrd@dau.mil.

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