NAF Contracting - PMAP

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Procurement Management Assistance Program

Self-Assessment Checklist

In January 2000, the Army’s nonappropriated fund (NAF) contracting community implemented the PMAP to assist Commanders, IMA Regional Directors and Contracting Chiefs improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our procurement organizations. The program focuses on improvements in five areas:

Leadership
Strategic planning
Technical compliance and management of key procurement processes
Customer focus
Human resource management

The PMAP requires NAF contracting personnel to perform continuous self-assessment of their accomplishments in the five areas listed above and to make necessary improvements. Much of the data required as part of the self-assessment are available using the automated procurement system, SNACS/PRISM. A substantial effort may be involved the first time a procurement organization undertakes a PMAP self-assessment. Thereafter, the assessment effort is less substantial.

One element of the PMAP is the procurement management review (PMR), which is an onsite review of the procurement organization. This review is the Commander and IMA Regional Director’s primary vehicle for accomplishing and documenting oversight of NAF procurement organizations. The PMR team members will evaluate the procurement organization’s adherence to applicable regulations and instructions (e.g., AR 215-1, AR 215-3, AR 215-4, DODI 4105.71, and DODD 4105.67), statutes, laws, and best acquisition and business practices. Special attention will be given to results of the PMAP self-assessment.

During a PMR, the Chief of the procurement organization being reviewed is required to conduct an entrance brief for the PMR team. The purpose of this briefing is to report PMAP self-assessment results, and present challenges and efforts to make improvements. The PMR team will require documentation in support of the self-assessment results. Examples include individual development plans, position descriptions, standing operating procedures, workload data, and customer and employee survey instrument and results.

Highlighted below is information pertaining to the five areas targeted under the PMAP for evaluation and improvement. The Chief of the procurement organization being reviewed may wish to address additional areas.

Area No. 1 – Leadership

The leadership category examines the effectiveness of the Contracting Chief’s leadership, to include communicating the procurement organization’s purpose and direction, creating and sustaining values, enunciating performance expectations and maintaining customer focus. An assessment of leadership includes an analysis of the effectiveness of individuals in the procurement organization who serve as acting chief, division or team leads, etc.

During the assessment, consideration will be given to the following topics as they relate to effective leadership:

The manner in which the procurement organization learns and improves.
Discussions with employees and supporting personnel (e.g., servicing legal counsel, financial and accounting managers, requiring activity personnel).
Mission of the procurement organization and explanation of how it defines organization purpose, taking into account the needs and expectations of all key stakeholders (e.g., requiring activity, frontline managers and customers). Mission statement is posted in the procurement organization.
Organizational direction is being communicated, taking into account the needs and expectations of all key stakeholders (e.g., requiring activity, frontline managers and customers). Vision statement is posted in the procurement organization.
The leader guides the office with clear values, high performance expectations, a strong customer focus, and a commitment to continuous learning, all of which are communicated and reinforced.
The leader researches and implements timesaving measures, e.g., purchase card program, SNACS/PRISM, C.A.R.E. and C.A.R.E. EDI.

Area No. 2 – Strategic Planning

The strategic planning category examines how the procurement organization sets strategic direction and how it develops key action plans.

During the assessment, consideration will be given to the following topics as they relate to the procurement organization’s strategic planning:

Explanation of how strategies are developed and translated into action plans. Strategies are documented and actions are being tracked.
Strategies support the organization’s mission, vision, and organizational direction.
Provides a summary of action plans derived from the organization’s strategy. Include performance requirements, the process for selecting key performance measures/indicators, and how the plans, resources, and measures/indicators are deployed to ensure alignment of goals and action plans. Note any significant differences between short- and long-term plans.
Utilizes SNCAS/PRISM-generated data to aid in the development of strategies and action plans. The leader monitors Total Action Lead Time (TALT) and Procurement Action Lead Time (PALT).
Provides examples of ways in which the procurement organization assisted the organization in meeting or exceeding its yearly operating goals and objectives.
Uses C.A.R.E. and C.A.R.E. EDI for purchase card management.

Area No. 3 – Technical Compliance And Management Of Key Procurement Processes

The technical compliance category analyzes the procurement organization’s compliance with the policies set forth in the AR 215-1, AR 215-3, AR 215-4 and applicable directives, e.g., DODD 4105.67 and DODI 4105.71.

The management of key procurement processes category analyzes how key and sub processes are designed, managed and improved to achieve the procurement organization’s mission, vision and action plans.

During the assessment, consideration is given to the following topics as they relate to technical compliance and management of procurement processes:

Shows that procurement actions adhere to AR 215-4, NAF Contracting and the PMR Technical Evaluation Checklist (available from USACFSC). This requires a review of purchase/delivery/task order files, contract files, BPA records, purchase card program activity, etc.
Identifies how the key and sub procurement processes are identified, implemented, managed, measured, and improved. For each measurement, provides historic and current levels, trends and goals. Includes any comparative data obtained for benchmarking performance.
Describes the effect customer requirements and/or feedback, employee feedback and supplier comments have had on key and/or sub processes. Identify implementation and improvements.
Shows how the contracting organization communicates with the public. Examples include conferences, Internet, meetings, etc.
Explains how comments from suppliers are received and tracked, e.g., surveys, telephone calls, Email messages, and meetings.
If a supplier survey is used, provides a copy of the survey instrument and describe how it was developed. Describes the frequency of surveys and how data are collected and analyzed. What does the organization do with survey results? Provides examples of changes implemented as a result of supplier survey responses. Provides results of the most recent survey.

Area No. 4 – Customer Focus

The customer focus category examines how the procurement organization determines requirements, expectations and satisfaction of its customers. The term “customer” in this instance means the individual generating the requirement, i.e., requiring or requesting activity. It is not referring to the end user or frontline customer.

During the assessment, consideration will be given to the following topics as they relate to the procurement organization’s customers:

Describes how the organization determines the TALT and PALT for the various types of contracting actions, e.g., simplified acquisitions, supply/service contracts, delivery/task orders, concession agreements, sole source procurements, and competitive procurements. Provides a list of the TALTS and PALTs.
How are the milestones and associated TALTs and PALTs communicated to the customer? Explains how TALT/PALT is monitored. Provides the customer with results of the frequency with which TALT/PALT is met and missed.
Describes how the organization provides access and information to enable customers to seek assistance, to conduct business and to voice complaints, including:
How the organization determines customer requirements, communicates the requirements to all employees who are involved in meeting the requirements, and evaluates and improves customer contact performance; and
A description of the organization’s process for managing customer complaints. Explains how the organization ensures that complaints are resolved effectively and promptly and that lessons learned are disseminated throughout the organization.
Provides a brief outline of how the activity learns from its customers. How are customers surveyed? Provides a copy of the survey instrument and describes how it was developed and maintained. Describes the frequency of surveys and how data are collected, depicted and shared with customers and management.
What does the organization do with the survey results? Describes the process used to analyze and measure survey responses and actions taken as a result. What measurements/metrics are collected? Provides examples of changes implemented as a result of customer survey responses.

Area No. 5 – Human Resource Management

The human resource management category examines how the workforce is recruited, developed, organized, enabled to utilize its full potential, trained, and aligned with the procurement organization’s mission, vision, and organizational purposes. The manner in which the organization strives to build and maintain an environment conducive to performance excellence, full participation, and personal and organizational growth is also reviewed.

Provides organization charts depicting all procurement organization personnel, including support employees. Explains how series, grade and number of positions are determined, kept current with changes in workload and measured against onboard staffing. Describes the recruitment process.
Identifies how key contracting human resource processes identified by the procurement organization are designed, implemented, managed, measured, and improved. Describes the organization’s management and improvement of the key processes through the selection and use of measures/metrics, e.g., number of specialists/TALT and PALT and TALT and PALT ratios. Includes any comparative data obtained for benchmarking performance. Describes the effect employee feedback has had on process design, implementation and improvement.
Provides a copy of an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for each member of the procurement organization. Explains how training requirements are determined. For example, experience versus classroom instruction, contracting courses versus professional growth and other courses.
Describes how the procurement organization maintains a work environment that supports the well-being, satisfaction and motivation of employees. Addresses the following areas:
Work environment. How does the procurement organization maintain a safe and healthful work environment? How are safety, health, ergonomics, laborsaving devices and information technology integrated to promote employee well-being and satisfaction while balancing the environment with productivity?
Employee satisfaction. What informal and formal feedback methods have been established and publicized to gauge employee satisfaction and what results have been achieved in this area? Describes the process used to analyze, consider and measure feedback. Provides examples of changes implemented as a result of employee feedback.

In summary, the PMAP assists Commanders, IMA Regional Directors and Contracting Chiefs improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our NAF procurement organizations by focusing on five areas for improvement: leadership, strategic planning, technical compliance and management of key procurement processes, customer focus, and human resource management.

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