• Economic Development/Workforce Demand
  

  The Federal Office of Management and Budget in Policy Letter 05-01 indicates that "the quality and effectiveness of the federal acquisition process depend on the development of a capable and competent workforce. Congress recognized the need for a professional workforce through the passage of the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act." The UWF Master of Science in Administration - Acquisition and Contract Administration specialization was initiated and designed to provide professional, graduate level training for workers in the federal acquisition process, both in the public and private sectors. The specialization was initiated in response to regional needs for workforce training in this unique military community and has grown in demand since initiated. Presently, there are specialized acquisition and contracting courses being taught in the specialization by qualified adjunct professors, but as the program has grown, it now can support a full time faculty member. Future growth of the program will be enhanced by the addition of a full time tenure- earning faculty member.

• Florida Board of Governors Areas of Strategic Emphasis      
  

  The program is designed for graduate students who are interested in pursuing a master's level degree in Public Administration. While this program was not identified as a Florida Board of Governors Areas of Programmatic Strategic Emphasis, there is still considerable demand for degree program.

• Accreditation Requirements
  

  It is important that the Public Administration Degree Program Acquisitions and Contracts specialization be fully supported by full time, terminal degree, program specific instructors to more fully meet the SACS standards for accreditation.

• Community/Visibility
  

  The University of West Florida is located in the midst of heavy federal contracting activity, the locus of many private sector firms that contract with the federal government and which are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulations, a focus of this specialization. Program growth has been steady, and it is anticipated that the program will continue to grow if properly nurtured, especially since it is online and has a world-wide reach. Much federal contracting is done across the globe. Due to the fact that the program is offered entirely online, it is especially attractive to mid-career professionals, and the range for these professionals is actually world-wide due to the global span of the U.S. Military and U.S. Civil Service.

The online Master of Science in Administration - Acquisition and Contract Administration has enjoyed healthy growth utilizing regular public administration and College of Business faculty for several administrative and business courses, while employing adjuncts to teach the highly specialized courses that relate specifically to federal government contracting. By virtue of this, the program has been able to be marketed during trying financial times, but at this point in time, requires a dedicated faculty member expert in federal contracting and the Federal Acquisition Regulations, a highly specialized field of study. The acquisition and contracting courses currently taught by adjuncts are:
PAD 5635 Government Contract Law
PAD 5855 Acquisition Administration
PAD 5862 Government Cost and Pricing Analysis
PAD 6864 Intermediate Contracting and Contract Administration

The program needs to have these significantly specialized courses taught by a dedicated, full-time tenure track specialist who can maintain the quality and currency of the program as well as continue to grow the program.

The program has been able to be marketed during trying financial times, but at this point in time, requires a dedicated faculty member expert in federal contracting and the Federal Acquisition Regulations, a highly specialized field of study. The courses are currently taught by adjuncts.

Generally, the person employed would be responsible for teaching the specialization courses listed above and be charged with course and program modification as needed to keep pace with the swiftly changing field of federal procurement. This is anticipated to be rather significant due to the current emphasis being placed on federal procurement regulations by the current presidential administration at the federal level coupled with tight budget constraints at all levels of government. Student advising, program promotion, marketing efforts and University and community service would also be a part of the faculty member's responsibilities.

The acquisition and contracting courses the faculty member would teach include but are not limited to:
PAD 5635 Government Contract Law
PAD 5855 Acquisition Administration
PAD 5862 Government Cost and Pricing Analysis
PAD 6864 Intermediate Contracting and Contract Administration

The program needs to have these significantly specialized courses taught by a dedicated, full-time tenure track specialist who can maintain the quality and currency of the program as well as continue to grow the program.

At the present time these courses are taught by adjuncts. With SACS requirements and accreditation issues, we cannot continue to use adjuncts for these topic specific courses.

As stated above the specialization courses and modifications of course and program offerings are presently handled by the Coordinator of Public Administration Programs working with adjunct faculty input. Courses are taught by the adjuncts. Marketing and promotion have been provided by the Coordinator of Public Administration Programs working with other faculty and University staff as needed. Some efforts at program review and modification have been based on graduate assistant work under the direction of the Coordinator of Public Administration Programs assisted by the adjunct instructors.

Two of the Career and Technical Education programs have been deleted. We now only have one program - Workforce and Program Development for the CTE content area. The Electrical Engineering program has been deleted.

Not applicable to this program. None of the specializations have fewer than 10 majors.

* Does not include non-degree specializations (indicated with a † above)