Hiring flexibilities are a suite of tools that are intended to simplify, and often accelerate, the federal hiring process. The subsections below describe six hiring flexibilities that, according to DOD, were used most frequently for external hires to the civilian acquisition workforce between FY2008 and FY2014 (during the acquisition workforce growth initiative): 
Direct-hire authority (DHA) Expedited hiring authority for civilian defense acquisition workforce positions (EHA) Pathways Recent Graduates program (established in December 2010) Pathways Internship program (established in December 2010) Federal Career Intern Program (eliminated in March 2011) Delegated examining authority

			Direct-Hire Authority

DHA and EHA—a type of DHA—allow agencies to appoint individuals directly to a position or group of positions without regard for certain competitive hiring requirements in Title 5 of the United States Code . Two of six flexibilities were available throughout the six-year period, while one was discontinued and three were established during that period. Table 3 presents data from DOD on average time to hire between FY2008 and FY2014 for five of the six hiring flexibilities described above—the flexibilities that are still currently available. Questions for Congress

As Congress continues to consider reforms to the defense acquisition system, the following policy questions regarding hiring flexibilities for the civilian defense acquisition workforce may be of interest:
Are flexibilities improving the civilian defense acquisition workforce? Accurate and comprehensive data on the use of flexibilities is an integral first step in determining their effectiveness. What Factors May Impact the Use of Available Flexibilities to Improve the Civilian Acquisition Workforce? Several factors may impact the use of flexibilities for the defense acquisition workforce, and by extension, their effectiveness in improving the workforce. Congressional Oversight Options

The oversight options presented in this section may help Congress gauge whether the current number and type of hiring flexibilities are appropriate and are improving the civilian acquisition workforce. Results from the study could help determine whether flexibilities should be expanded or created, consolidated or removed, or otherwise restructured. implement the proxy measures described above for determining flexibilities' recruitment power and quality of acquisition personnel hired under flexibilities; identify the factors that affect the effective use of flexibilities for the workforce, including those previously described; and determine whether personnel hired under flexibilities have improved defense acquisition outcomes, such as delivering acquisition programs with the desired capabilities within the projected costs and timeline. Improved Implementing Guidance for Flexibilities

Congress could direct DOD to undertake specific activities, such as the ones listed below, to clarify and align department- and component-level implementing guidance for hiring flexibilities.
Policymakers and defense acquisition experts have asserted that improved recruitment for the defense acquisition workforce is a necessary component for comprehensive acquisition reform. To help rebuild the workforce and enhance recruitment, DOD has used several hiring flexibilities authorized by Congress, the President, and OPM in recent years. Hiring flexibilities are a suite of tools that are intended to simplify, and sometimes accelerate, the hiring process.
The impact of hiring flexibilities on recruitment and workforce quality, however, remains unclear. Congress may consider three high-level questions regarding hiring flexibilities for the workforce:
Are flexibilities effectively improving the workforce? Are the current number and type of flexibilities appropriate? What factors may impact effective use of flexibilities to improve the workforce?
Congress could consider several oversight options to help gauge and improve the effectiveness of flexibilities in improving the civilian defense acquisition workforce. Such options might help Congress determine whether flexibilities should be expanded or newly created, consolidated or removed, or otherwise restructured. Congress could direct DOD to
provide data on the use of all available flexibilities to fill the full range of civilian defense acquisition positions, including any barriers to producing such data; establish proxy measures for effectiveness related to employee quality (such as employee timeliness in earning required certifications and retention and career progression rates) and recruitment (such as time to hire from the perspective of the candidate and job acceptance rates); conduct a study that evaluates the effectiveness of flexibilities; and improve the quality, clarity, and use of implementing guidance for flexibilities.
At least 38 hiring flexibilities are currently available for the civilian defense acquisition workforce. According to DOD, the following six flexibilities were used most frequently to fill external civilian acquisition positions between FY2008 and FY2014:
1. Direct-hire authority (DHA) 2. Expedited hiring authority (EHA) for certain civilian acquisition positions 3. Pathways Recent Graduates program 4. Pathways Internship program 5. Federal Career Intern Program 6. Delegated examining authority
The six flexibilities accounted for roughly 66% of total external civilian acquisition hires between FY2008 and FY2014 (i.e., hires from outside the government). Some of the flexibilities were available throughout the six-year period, while others were discontinued or established during that period. Potential factors affecting the use of flexibilities include their structure, clarity of implementing guidance, establishment of new flexibilities, staff knowledge of appropriate use, budgetary constraints, and efforts to balance hiring speed with equity.