GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT COMPETENCY STANDARDS IN PREPARATION FOR THE SHIFT TO PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN DEFENSE ACQUISITIONS

The purpose of this study is to perform a gap analysis on the existing Department of Defense (DOD) program management competency standards to determine if changes are required to fully adopt product portfolio management (PPM) strategies in defense acquisitions. We do this by comparing the current DOD standards to the Project Management Institute's Portfolio Management Professional certification standards. We ask where the gaps in the standards exist and where the standards align, and assign a Barrier to Implementation (BTI) score to each gap in the DOD standard. The study found that the DOD is on average 41% aligned with industry standards. In the higher weighted domains of Governance and Strategic Alignment, alignment percentages are significantly lower. The composite BTI score for the DOD is 1.45, indicating low to medium BTIs for most of the gaps. Results do not suggest that the DOD is incapable of conducting PPM, but rather that the current competency standards do not align with industry best practices. Defense acquisitions professionals should review our analysis and formulate Portfolio Management Career Field Functional Competencies to further professional standards, develop the necessary job skills and evaluation criteria, and further the process of achieving congressional mandates for portfolio management implementation.Outstanding ThesisMajor, United States Marine CorpsMajor, United States Marine CorpsMajor, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Program Management Versus Portfolio Management in Defense Acquisition

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumThis research performed a gap analysis on the existing Department of Defense (DoD) program management competency standards to determine if changes are required to fully adopt product portfolio management (PPM) strategies in defense acquisition. Current DoD program management standards are compared to the Project Management Institute’s Portfolio Management Professional certification standards to analyze alignment and gaps between the standards. Barrier to Implementation (BTI) scores are assigned to address the identified gaps in the DoD standard. The study found that the DoD program management competencies are on average 41% aligned with portfolio management industry standards. The DoD program management competencies are least aligned with the portfolio management domains of governance and strategic alignment. The composite BTI score indicates low to medium level of implementation barriers for most of the gaps. Results indicate that the DoD is capable of conducting PPM, and further research is needed to fully align the current competency standards with industry best practices. Defense acquisition senior leaders should consider formulating DoD portfolio management career field functional competencies to address congressional mandates for portfolio management implementation within the DoD.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Program Management versus Portfolio Management in Defense Acquisition

Symposium PresentationApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Program Management versus Portfolio Management in Defense Acquisition

Program Management / Faculty ReportAcquisition Research Program Sponsored Report SeriesSponsored Acquisition Research & Technical ReportsThis research performed a gap analysis on the existing Department of Defense (DoD) program management competency standards to determine if changes are required to fully adopt product portfolio management (PPM) strategies in defense acquisition. Current DoD program management standards are compared to the Project Management Institute's Portfolio Management Professional certification standards to analyze alignment and gaps between the standards. Barrier to Implementation (BTI) scores are assigned to address the identified gaps in the DoD standard. The study found that the DoD program management competencies are on average 41% aligned with portfolio management industry standards. The DoD program management competencies are least aligned with the portfolio management domains of governance and strategic alignment. The composite BTI score indicates low to medium level of implementation barriers for most of the gaps. Results indicate that the DoD is capable of conducting PPM, and further research is needed to fully align the current competency standards with industry best practices. Defense acquisition senior leaders should consider formulating DoD portfolio management career field functional competencies to address congressional mandates for portfolio management implementation within the DoD.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited