The U.S. Senate has confirmed Dr. Kevin Rhodes as the new Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), a position often referred to as the Chief Acquisition Officer of the United States. Rhodes was confirmed by a 51–47 vote (Record Vote Number: 547) following his nomination by President Donald Trump.
As the 16th Administrator of the OFPP, Dr. Rhodes will oversee setting policy for nearly 10 percent of the annual U.S. budget, or close to $1 trillion in procurement spending. His office governs both the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), the cornerstone policies that define how federal contracts are awarded and managed.
Rhodes will also chair the Chief Acquisition Officers Council and the CAS Board, in addition to serving on several other interagency boards and councils. He will lead what has been described as a “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul” – the first major modernisation of U.S. procurement policy in more than four decades – along with major updates to CAS.
Before his confirmation, Rhodes served as a Senior Advisor to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the Executive Office of the President.
Prior to his OMB tenure, Rhodes was Executive Vice President of Systecon North America, where he managed all aspects of corporate strategy, government relations, and congressional outreach. Under his leadership, the company achieved its most successful financial year on record while in the role.
Rhodes’s background includes 25 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, where he held senior leadership roles in acquisition, logistics, and operations. His positions included Director of Acquisition at the White House Military Office, Program Manager for Common Avionics and Materiel, and Director of Operations for the KC-46 programme. He also served in combat operations and with U.S. Special Operations Command, managing procurement teams and multi-billion-dollar budgets.
Dr. Rhodes holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Management, and a Doctorate of Business Administration focused on project management. He is a distinguished graduate of the Air War College and has served as an Air Force Fellow on the personal staffs of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Council of Logistics Engineers, an international non-profit organisation supporting logistics and acquisition professionals.