TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Since the introduction of the DOD’s Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo) more than 20 years ago, it has been revolutionizing how department manages its acquisition civilian workforce through a contribution-based approach as it has been phased in throughout various agencies within the department, and organizations within Air Force Materiel Command are no exception.
In May AFMC announced its decision to convert an additional 26,000 eligible existing General Schedule (GS) employees to AcqDemo, 12,000 of which are Air Force Sustainment Center personnel, by June 15, 2025.
“The advantage of AcqDemo is that it provides a culture of where the contributions of AFSC civilian employees are recognized and rewarded,” said Dana L. Crowe, the Director of Personnel for Air Force Sustainment Center. “AcqDemo employee satisfaction ratings are consistently higher than the rest of the federal workforce as measured on Federal Employee Viewpoint surveys in the areas of sense of purpose, dedication, persistence, and effort, as well as overall attachment to their organization and its mission.”
“This conversion will positively benefit our command and provide the workforce with major benefits, to include pay setting flexibilities, a more simplified classification system, contribution-based performance assessment, and more,” she said. “Additionally, it provides managers and organization with increased flexibilities in recruitment, staffing, classification, performance management, compensation, and employee development.”
Personnel who are not sure if their position will convert should consult with their Organizational AcqDemo Pay Pool Administrator. As the June 2025 conversion date approaches, each converting employee will receive an official notification letter that outlines their projected AcqDemo position information, to include:
- AcqDemo Position Title
- AcqDemo Career Path (NH, NJ, or NK)
- AcqDemo Broadband Level (I, II, or III)
- Series
- Pay Pool ID
The conversion will affect General Schedule (GS) employees in bargaining and non-bargaining units across AFMC, except for personnel in ranks above GS-15, such as senior executive staff. Non-GS employees, which include Federal Wage System (FWS) employees (WG), leaders (WL), and supervisors (WS) are also not up for conversion.
To prepare for the transition, we invite all supervisors and civilian Airmen to attend one of the Town Halls, presented by the Air Force Acquisition Program Management Office. These Town Halls are scheduled for two hours each and information for those Town Halls can be found on AFSC AcqDemo SharePoint (CAC-enabled) site at https://usaf.dps.mil/teams/TMCA19297/AFSCAcqDemo/SitePagesR/Home.aspx
Conversion Considerations:
Performance evaluations – Performance is the key factor in consideration for conversion, so if employees consistently getting strong ratings in their annual evaluations, that is a strong indicator that they are on track for conversion.
Meeting critical elements – Being able to perform specific job duties or tasks that are essential to a position’s success is vital for conversion.
Continuous Learning –This shows willingness to grow as an individual and improve as an employee. Whether it is through online or in-seat courses or old-fashioned on-the-job-training, showing commitment to continuous learning is vital for conversion to AcqDemo. 
Demonstrated Leadership – Just like your uniformed counterparts, a civilian employee’s ability to demonstrate effective leadership is a strong consideration for conversion. AcqDemo rewards employees who routinely take the initiative, show leadership, and are willing to take on new challenges. If you have been given new roles and responsibilities since coming on board AFSC, it is a good indicator that you are on track for conversion.
Networking and Building Relationships – Being able to network and build relationships with your colleagues and supervisors is a crucial skill for conversion. It shows that an employee is a team player and is committed to the job.
Meeting Timelines and Deadlines – Consistently meeting or exceeding turnaround time for assignments or projects demonstrates an employee is trustworthy and can handle additional responsibilities.
Employees who are meeting or exceeding expectations in each of these criteriums are prime candidates for conversion.