Wire
Acquisition workers could get faster raises and retention offers
DoD’s proposal would let managers move quicker on certain pay increases, offer special allowances to top performers and make counteroffers to keep critical staff. It also loosens some onboarding steps for new hires.
The Pentagon is proposing new flexibility for civilian acquisition workers, giving managers more room to grant raises, make retention offers and speed up some hiring steps. The notice is open for public comment until July 17, 2026.
Comment deadline: July 17, 2026 Submit comments: http://www.regulations.gov Effective date: 30 days after the date of final publication
The notice would amend the existing plan by adopting, by reference, some provisions from the department’s Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories, or STRLs, personnel demonstration project plans, so long as they fit AcqDemo’s statutory authority. DoD says the point is to strengthen its ability to attract, develop and retain a highly skilled acquisition workforce.
The tools on the table
The proposal reaches into three practical areas: hiring, pay administration and workforce shaping. It would also revise parts of the 2017 AcqDemo plan that still govern the program, while adding new personnel-management flexibilities that DoD says could make the system easier to use.
Some of the biggest changes are about pay. Participating organizations could make certain within-broadband pay increases outside the usual annual contribution-based compensation cycle, and employees already at the top of their broadband pay range could become eligible for a Distinguished Contribution Allowance. The notice would also allow retention counteroffers for high-performing employees with critical acquisition skills who have another job offer in hand.
Why the department says it matters
The proposal also would relax a couple of onboarding rules. A servicing office could use an unofficial transcript or a registrar’s letter first, with the official transcript due within 30 days. Another change would allow student loan repayment benefits to keep pace with current tuition costs and inflation, within the stated caps and service-agreement rules.
DoD is taking comments on the notice through July 17, 2026. For applicants, the changes could mean a looser path into some acquisition jobs. For current employees, they could mean more room for pay adjustments and quicker retention offers, at a time when defense acquisition offices are competing with industry for the same specialized skills.
Agency: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)), DoD Docket ID: DOD-2026-OS-1321 CFR parts: 5 CFR part 530, subpart B Comment deadline: July 17, 2026 Effective date: 30 days after the date of final publication Submit comments: http://www.regulations.gov Contact: Mr. Scott Wortman • Program Manager • (703) 805-5050 • 9820 Belvoir Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060