The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA), signed into law in Nov 1990 to improve the effectiveness of the military and civilian acquisition workforce.  It establishes education and training standards and requires certification for personnel designated as acquisition workforce (AWF) members. 

Certification is attained by satisfying a combination of education, experience, and training requirements. 

The DAWIA program is targeted to deliver a forward thinking Acquisition Workforce that is well managed and highly trained. DAWIA is a career development and management program established to implement provisions and associated Department of Defense regulations.