; and (B) develops options for filling those needs with qualified individuals, including a cost-benefit analysis of contracting for acquisition assistance. (2) Additional matters covered The acquisition workforce plan under this subsection shall address ways to— (A) improve the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of Department acquisition workforce personnel, including contracting officers’ representatives, in order to retain highly qualified individuals who have experience in the acquisition life cycle, complex procurements, and management of large programs; (B) empower program managers to have the authority to manage their programs in an accountable and transparent manner as such managers work with the acquisition workforce; (C) prevent duplication within Department acquisition workforce training and certification requirements through leveraging existing training within the Federal Government, academic community, or private industry; (D) achieve integration and consistency with Government-wide training and accreditation standards, acquisition training tools, and training facilities; (E) designate the acquisition positions that will be necessary to support the acquisition requirements of the Department, including in the fields of— (i) program management; (ii) systems engineering; (iii) procurement, including contracting; (iv) test and evaluation; (v) life cycle logistics; (vi) cost estimating and program financial management; and (vii) additional disciplines appropriate to the mission needs of the Department; (F) strengthen the performance of contracting officers’ representatives (as defined in subpart 1.602–2 and subpart 2.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation), including by— (i) assessing the extent to which those representatives are certified and receive training that is appropriate; (ii) assessing what training is most effective with respect to the type and complexity of assignment; and (iii) implementing actions to improve training based on those assessments