Conference to highlight defense workforce issues.

Women In Defense's second annual conference will focus on federal outsourcing and human capital management, said the organization's event planner, Fritzi Serafin of the Jefferson Consulting Group.

The conference will be held on Feb. 24, 2005, at the Hyatt Regency Reston, in Reston, Va. The theme for the event will be: "Is Federal Outsourcing for You: Assessing the challenges and identifying future opportunities."

Human capital management "is clearly an important issue," Serafin said. "Not only is it about recruiting and maintaining a talented, diverse workforce, but it also is about ensuring that human capital management ties in with all other department-wide programs, such as budgeting, organizational effectiveness and savings."

In addition, the conference will address the backlog in the security clearance process, the aging workforce and issues surrounding A-76 competition. The A-76 process is an effort to identify those federal jobs now being performed by government workers that could be done by private-sector employees and set up a competition to determine which group should get the work.

Mary E. Lacey, program executive officer of the Defense Department's National Security Personnel System, will be the keynote speaker. Lacey, who was named to her post in May, will address how the new personnel system will change the department's work rules for civilian personnel, in such fields as labor-management relations and employee appeals systems.

The conference will include other representatives from the Pentagon, the Federal Office of Personnel Management and industry. The topics will have wide appeal, Serafin said. "Every organization has issues with human capital. The speakers can address some of the challenges they've faced in that area and share solutions that attendees can use."

The meeting will be a "must-attend" event for human-resources, outsourcing and management professionals in the federal and private sectors, said WID President Carolyn Becraft. "The important topic of federal outsourcing needs to be discussed in a forum where industry and government can participate and address mutual needs and opportunities," she said. Becraft, president of Becraft Associates, is former assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs.

Registration will begin at 7 a.m., with the program running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by an evening reception. Tickets to the reception are available to individuals who are unable to attend the conference.

For more information on the conference, select the "Meetings & Events" page on the NDIA webpage: http://www.ndia.org. For more information in volunteering at the event, contact Fritzi Serafin at [e-mail].