Procurement Operations Division Code 210 MD-715 Project

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Procurement Operations DivisionCode 210MD-715
Project

• Management Person Responsible
• Valorie Burr, Procurement Officer
• Project Facilitator Karen Weaver
• Organizational Development Specialist
• Organizational Leadership Culture Office, Code
  111
• Dated January, 2008

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What is MD-715?

• EEOC Management Directive MD-715 provides policy
  guidance and standards for establishing and
  maintaining effective affirmative programs of
  equal employment opportunity under Section 717 of
  Title VII (PART A) and effective affirmative
  action programs under Section 501 of the
  Rehabilitation Act (Part B)

For the complete text and more information see
http//www.eeoc.gov/federal/md715/index.html
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Requirements

• Establish a Model EEO Program
• Conduct initial and annual Self-Assessments
• Barrier Identification and Elimination
• Reporting Requirements

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Activities by the GSFC Office of Equal
Opportunity

• Assessment of the Management and Operations
  Directorate
• Statistical analysis of the Centers Procurement
  Operations Division showed under-representation
  of African Americans in the 1102 occupational
  series at grades 13 and above
• Review of data and study of Code 210
• Survey conducted with a group of employees from
  the Procurement Operations Division (POD) to
  learn more about what it is like to work in the
  POD and identify any barriers regarding
  recruitment, retention and advancement for
  minorities

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Survey Findings

• Career Advancement
• Getting Ahead
• Uncertain some are unclear about the criteria
  for getting ahead (ie. warrants, inconsistent
  application of policies, etc.)
• Education employees understand that there are
  degree and training requirements
• Clique an advocate in senior management is
  essential to get the assignments needed to prove
  ones self
• Experience challenging assignments and being
  able to demonstrate you can do the work are
  needed to get ahead
• Race may impact promotion opportunities

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Survey Findings

• Show Stoppers
• Bucking the system (ie. speaking out,
  questioning management, etc.)
• Making a mistake early in ones career are
  played over and over
• Lack of education
• Lack of initiative
• Not having an advocate in the clique
• Complaining (ie. dont whine up, dont forget
  to appear grateful)

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Survey Findings

• Career Development
• Opportunities limited opportunities for
  rotations and mentoring
• Individual Development Plans limited use
• Education Requirements inconsistent application
  of policies regarding education requirements in
  promoting employees to GS-13 inconsistent
  application of policies regarding part-time study
  programs
• Organizational Climate
• Openness new ideas are usually not received
  well or at all
• Need good relationship with management
• Need frequent dialogue with management

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Barriers Identified in MD-715 Report

• Two Barriers Were Identified in the MD-715
  Report.
• Barrier 1 The lack of a well defined, written
  and published criteria for non-supervisory GS-13
  and 14 positions has resulted in few minority
  applicants for GS-13 positions and a limited pool
  for GS-14 positions.
• Barrier 2 A significant portion of the
  minority population in the division perceives the
  organizational culture to be one that limits
  their access to management personnel.
  Specifically, these employees believe that this
  access affects their developmental assignments,
  performance feedback, recognition, and awards.

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Response To Date Barrier 1

• Performance Requirements for Contract Specialists
  added to the Code 210 Web site
• Plans to develop career paths for Contract
  Specialists

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Response to date Barrier 2

• Procurement Operations Division attended a 3-day
  retreat including Race, Power Privilege
  training
• Office of Human Capital Management assigned a
  Organizational Development Specialist to work
  with management to develop the action plan to
  respond to issues identified
• Project Plan developed with approach for
  addressing barriers
• Learning Group (on-going) facilitated by the
  Procurement Officer
• Code 210 Web site (on-going) updated with
  information regarding individual organizations,
  policies, services, system support, and employee
  training and development

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Project Plan Activities

• Interview management team and employees
• Develop guidelines for each role in the
  organization
• Conduct pilot with all branch offices
• Develop action plan to address barriers
• Evaluate pilot results
• Revise guidelines and implement for the entire
  organization
• Develop process for continuous feedback, review,
  and implementation of activities within the
  procurement organization
• Continue on-going conversations with the GSFC EO
  office provide documentation for their reporting
  requirement

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Action Planning Objective

• To create an organizational culture that is open,
  inclusive and transparent and is readily
  perceived as equitable by all Code 210 employees
  irrespective of race or national origin

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Questions or Suggestions

• Please contact Karen Weaver by phone at (301)
  286-0034 or via email at karen.r.weaver_at_nasa.gov