USALearning supports government category management
USALearning is the government’s “category management” hub for digital learning. Category management is the practice of buying common goods and services as an enterprise to eliminate redundancies, increase efficiency, and deliver more value and savings—in this case, for the government. The Office of Management and Budget recently directed Federal agencies to make better use of shared services to support category management. See OMB Memorandum M-19-13 (“Category Management: Making Smarter Use of Common Contract Solutions and Practices,” 2019).
USALearning is a Best in Class organization
USALearning is recognized by the as a “Best in Class” organization. That designation goes to government-wide contracts that satisfy criteria that ensure they are vetted, well-managed, and recommended for use. GSA runs an Acquisition Gateway with information on USALearning and other Best in Class solutions.
US Code, Title 5 § 4116 applies to USALearning
As an Office of Personnel Management organization, 5 USC § 4116 (“Training Program Assistance”) applies to the USALearning program. Under this authority, USALearning is formally permitted to “advise and assist in the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the training programs” for other agencies, upon their request.
US Code, Title 5 § 1304(e)(1) applies to USALearning
As an Office of Personnel Management organization, 5 USC § 1304(e)(1) applies to USALearning. This section of the US Code is called “Loyalty investigations; reports; revolving fund,” and sub-bullet (e) specifically concerns revolving funds. Sub-section (e)(1) authorizes USALearning to use “revolving fund without fiscal year limitation” to finance activities, such as training. It also authorizes USALearning to perform work on a reimbursable basis, including personnel management services performed at the request of other agencies.
Defense personnel are encouraged to use USALearning
In March 2019, senior government executives Margaret Weichert (left) and Lisa Hershman (right) sign an agreement for enterprise digital learning reform
As part of its Enterprise Digital Learning Modernization reform, the Department of Defense entered into a partnership with the Office of Personnel Management. In March 2019, the two agencies signed a memorandum of agreement involving the use of USALearning.
Through USALearning, the Office of Personnel Management agreed to provide: “Rapid, agile, and responsive assisted acquisition and related technical support services that enable the acquisition of learning hardware, software, courseware, and other externally procured training and associated services at a speed and quality that meets or exceeds status quo DoD contracting.”
In April 2019, the Defense Department’s Chief Management Officer subsequently issued a memo directing all Defense Components to participate in this reform. In April 2020, the Chief Management Officer issued further guidance, extending the original direction and further outlining the process for submitting requirements to USALearning—through this USALearning Project Portal. For more information about the USALearning assisted acquisition process, as it applies to Defense organizations, refer to the USALearning Assisted Acquisition for Training and Education Guide (requires log-in).