The Acquisition Passport Apprenticeship program begins with a virtual three-day onboarding session. This onboarding session ensures all administrative processes are complete and a thorough understanding of the company IMSolutions, our processes and procedures. During this time, apprentices will meet (virtually) with IMSolutions corporate leadership as well as the Apprenticeship Program leadership team. During this orientation period, program leadership will provide apprentices with an overview of the program goals and curriculum structure.

Upon completion of IMSolutions onboarding, apprentices will proceed right into the Formal Learning stage of the program. These initial courses in contracting fundamentals will provide apprentices with baseline knowledge that will lead to the eventual graduation of a Certified Contract Management Associate.

Agency Orientation allows our clients to meet and greet apprentices and provide the required internal training before they begin Direct Acquisition Support. This time frame is usually a two-week period; however, this is dependent on the requirements of the client agency.

Once apprentice’s complete client orientation, the next two weeks prepare them for entering phase one of the program. We introduce them to soft skills and get them started on their Capstone journey. We dive deeper into client documents and provide an understanding of the initial work they will be introduced to. Working with the client, IMS Program leadership will have a keen understanding of client processes, procedures and platforms used so that we can, in turn, provide the necessary training to ensure apprentices hit the ground running once direct acquisition support begins.

Apprentices are assigned to a Professional Learning Group (PLG) with a dedicated PLG Leader who will meet with their PLG to start each training day and provide individual mentoring sessions monthly. PLG Leaders are a source for daily interaction with apprentices providing guidance, understanding and reassurance.

During Phase 1, apprentices will be immersed in the cohort-style internship phase of the program. Phase 1 of the training program spans a 16-week time period where apprentices will concentrate on the Pre-Award, Award and Post-Award contracting processes. Apprentices are introduced to the material and resources necessary to pass the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Certified Contract Management Associate (CCMA) exam. Phase 1 will see the apprentices collaborate on their group Capstone projects and prepare to provide a presentation of their projects to IMSolutions and Client Leadership.

Our guest speaker engagements begin in Phase 1. Apprentices will be introduced to industry leaders providing knowledge and experienced insights into the federal and civilian procurement industry.

Phase 1 is the start of apprentices providing Direct Acquisition Support (DAS) to the client four days a week. Apprentices are assigned to a client team where they will be provided with the required resources (chain of command) to begin providing DAS daily for four days a week. DAS grants our apprentices experience providing real support to real customers working with the client. By providing real-time support to federal agencies, by the time the program concludes, we give our apprentices and clients a functional junior level contract specialist with real-world experience. This is a game changer!

Throughout Phase 1 apprentices will meet weekly with their PLG Group, individually with their PLG Leader (monthly) and bi-weekly with our Leadership/Career Coach.

Apprentices are always being evaluated. Providing the training is only a part of the requirement. Knowledge retention and the ability to take a learned concept and transition that into real ability is the key. Our apprentices will be challenged weekly with a short homework assignment that prepares them for the upcoming training session. Each training day, apprentices will be given a knowledge check that covers the material from the previous week’s training. Finally, apprentices will, at the end of each training day, take a short quiz on that day’s subject matter.

Phase 1 will also see the apprentices take a Mid-Phase exam covering the first eight weeks of the phase and a Final Phase exam that will cover the materials of the final eight weeks of the phase.

Phase 2 will have apprentices continuing to provide the client with DAS four days each week. Other Phase 2 activities focus on the goal of solidifying skills built in Phase 1 while building capability in the critical financial management and price analysis elements of acquisition. Phase 2 starts with the completion of Fundamentals of Cost and Price Analysis, which begins at the end of Phase 1.

Phase 2 individual capstone projects will be reviewed by IMS Program Leadership in preparation for presentations to client leadership at the end of phase 2. This second presentation to client leadership provides an opportunity for apprentices to demonstrate improvement of both acquisition knowledge and capabilities and offers the opportunity to show improvement in their individual soft skills.

We continue with our guest speaker series throughout phase 2 of the program and we introduce the apprentices to other industry leaders through our “Ask the Expert” sessions. These sessions see the apprentices interact with industry experts who have experience within multiple contracting functions. These sessions provide apprentices with the knowledge of many contracting disciplines available to them as they grow in this industry.

Apprentices continue to meet weekly with their PLG Group, monthly with their PLG Leader and bi-weekly with our Leadership/Career Coach.

Throughout Phase 2 of the program, apprentices will continue to be challenged with the same type of quizzes, knowledge checks, homework assignments and exams that they experienced in Phase 1. Phase 2 will also see the apprentices present their individual Capstone projects to IMSolutions and Client leadership.

Phase 2 is when apprentices will start looking at preparing for and taking the NCMA CCMA exam. We provide apprentices with classroom instruction and the opportunity to take multiple practice exams to prepare for their certification exams. By the end of Phase 2 of the program, apprentices will have completed all required IMST, met IMST educational standards, and achieved their CCMA certification.

Phase three of this program is 16 weeks in length. During this phase, apprentices will provide the client with DAS five days a week. Apprentices will continue to have reach-back capabilities to their PLG Leads and Program Leadership, but most of this phase is client support. Apprentices will continue to engage in their once-a-month mentorship meeting with their PLG lead and receive bi-weekly coaching with our Leadership/Career Coach.

At the conclusion of Phase 3, apprentices will “graduate” from the ACQPASS Program. Upon graduation, apprentices will move to support the client on a full-time basis.

During the second year of the program, apprentices transition to full-time support as an integrated Federal acquisition workforce professional within one of our federal government department or agency client sites. Apprentices—now full-time active employees—will continued to be evaluated based on their own merit and be eligible for IMSolutions promotions, are entitled to increased employee benefits to include access to professional development funds that can help maintain current certifications and assist with achieving other professional education goals.

As alumni of the program, apprentices will continue to benefit from a growing network of Federal government, higher education, nonprofit, and corporate partnerships through which additional promising career opportunities can be pursued to include advanced degree or certificate programs.