AMK | The Contracting Education Academy

September 9, 2020 By AMK

Learn — on-line — how the government puts together a contract October 19-23

What is the Government’s simplified acquisition process? What is meant by the term sealed bid? Did you know that the Government can enter into contracts on the basis of both competitive and noncompetitive negotiated arrangements? How does the Government deal with required and preferred sources of supplies and services? What must be done to ensure competition? What are the policies for policies and procedures for pricing negotiated contracts and contract modifications? What are the policies and procedures for filing bid protests?

To answer these questions — and explain the entire process that federal agencies follow to formulate a contract — Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy is presenting a one-week course, beginning October 19, 2020, entitled CON 090-3: Contract Formation in the FAR.

And this course is being presented virtually, so you can attend on-line from your home or office,

The course is designed for contracting professionals — including both government officials and contractors — who are interested in learning the details of the federal acquisition process. This course provides vital instruction for Government contracting personnel as well as important insights for contractors.

By attending CON 090-3, students learn how to locate, interpret, and apply the acquisition regulations applicable to federal agencies. CON 090-3 is the third of four modules in the CON 090 series entitled Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals. The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech offers the entire CON 090 series in four, one-week classes. Each module stands on its own, allowing students multiple opportunities throughout the year to complete the entire CON 090 course without the challenge of being away from work or home for a straight month. Because of Georgia Tech’s unique instructional approach, the four modules can be taken in any order.

The course consists of limited lecture, and is heavily exercise-based. Students get the opportunity to learn the FAR by working through many real-life scenarios with one another. Students also are given access to many exclusive on-line resources.

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is an approved equivalency training provider to the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and provides continuing education training to Acquisition and Government Contracting professionals as well as to business professionals working for government contractors or pursuing opportunities in the federal contracting arena.

For more information on this course and to register, please visit: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-3-contract-formation-far.

October 23, 2019 By AMK

Learn how the government administers contracts during week of Dec. 9th

Before the year’s end, you have the opportunity to attend a week-long course at Georgia Tech that comprehensively covers the federal contract administration process.

The course — Contract Administration in the FAR (CON 090-4) — begins Monday, Dec. 9 and concludes Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. The course is conducted at Georgia Tech’s world-class Global Learning Center located in Midtown Atlanta. Registration details are at: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-4-contract-administration-far.

**Students work in teams to answer questions and solve problems involving contract administration.**

Who Should Attend

Government contracting officials will learn not only the rules but the best practices in contract administration. And, this course satisfies required FAC-C and DAWIA certification programs.
Business people, including those to aspire to become federal contractors, will learn how to use the power of being an incumbent to win future contracts as well as how to protect contractual interests.

How You Will Benefit

You will learn:

The fundamental concepts of government contract administration.
The rights of the parties when contract performance is not timely.
Both the government’s and the contractor’s rights when contract performance comes into question.
The policies and procedures for preparing and processing contract modifications.
How to apply the requirements of applicable contract clauses in various contracting scenarios.
The applicable payment clauses and invoicing procedures.
The policies and procedures for filing and processing contract disputes and appeals.
The policies and procedures pertaining to the complete or partial termination of contracts for the convenience of the government or for default.
All pertinent parts of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Course Content

Contract administration basics
Contract modifications
Administration of selected terms and conditions
Delays
Quality assurance
Payment and cost allowability
Disputes and appeals
Terminations
Closeout

Materials

Each student receives a printed Student Guide, exercises, updated supplemental information, and exclusive access to web-based student resources. A complimentary breakfast is provided each morning, along with snacks throughout each day.

Additional Information

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) is an approved equivalency training provider to the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI). Our courses satisfy both the FAC-C and the DAWIA certification programs. The coursework also provides students the opportunity to earn continuing education unit credits (CEUs) for acquisition and government contracting professionals as well as business professionals working for the government or pursuing opportunities in the federal contracting arena.

CON 090-4 is the fourth of four modules in the CON 090 course series entitled Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals. The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech offers the entire CON 090 series in four, one-week classes. Each module stands on its own, allowing students multiple opportunities throughout the year to complete the entire CON 090 course without the challenge of being away from work or home for a straight month. Because of Georgia Tech’s unique instructional approach, the four modules can be taken in any order.

More Information and To Register

For more information on this course, please visit: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-4-contract-administration-far

August 20, 2019 By AMK

GSA releases fact sheet to aid agencies buying on consolidated Multiple Award Schedule

The General Services Administration (GSA) is modernizing federal acquisition by consolidating the existing 24 Schedules into one single Schedule for products, services, and solutions.

One contract vehicle will make it easier for federal agencies and other customers to find total solutions, ensure terms and conditions meet their needs, and eliminate duplicate contracts.

Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) Consolidation is one of the four cornerstone initiatives of GSA’s Federal Marketplace (FMP) Strategy, a plan to modernize and simplify the buying and selling experience for customers, suppliers, and acquisition professionals.

Throughout the MAS Consolidation process, customers can continue purchasing through GSA vehicles as they normally would. GSA anticipates no disruptions to customers. Once the consolidation is completed, customers will experience a more streamlined and simplified buying experience.

GSA’s MAS program management office has just issued a fact sheet that describes in detail what Schedule buyers can expect during each of three phases of MAS consolidation. You can access the fact sheet on the Federal Marketplace website here: MAS Consolidation Customer Fact Sheet – 08.2019

August 19, 2019 By AMK

Comprehensive contract planning course being conducted Oct. 7-11

Whether you represent government or industry, this is your chance to learn how the Government plans its acquisition of products and services!

As a member of the government’s acquisition team, don’t you need to learn how to conduct acquisition planning properly?
As a contractor, wouldn’t you like to gain insights into the government’s contract planning process?

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech will address these questions, and many more, in a comprehensive five-day class, “Contract Planning in the FAR” (CON 090-2) to be presented October 7-11, 2019.

The course will be presented at the world-class Global Learning Center in midtown Atlanta. Registration details are here.

This in-depth course covers all aspects of acquisition planning, including:

How government agencies conduct market research and rely on businesses to provide information,
How the government’s buying needs must be described, and
The government’s preference for commercial and non-developmental items.

This course is the second in a series of four educational modules that examine the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Government’s “procurement bible.” Because of Georgia Tech’s unique instructional approach, the four modules can be taken in any order.

Why Have So Many Contracting Officials Taken This Course?

For government contracting officials, this course is required to earn and maintain a contracting warrant. A warrant is a written document providing a contracting officer with the limits of his or her authority. Per FAR 1.602-1, Contracting Officers have the authority to “enter into, administer, or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings” to the extent of the authority delegated to them by their warrant. Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy offers a set of courses — each equivalent to Defense Acquisition University (DAU) course standards — that help each member of the acquisition workforce maintain their warrants and enhance their professional development.
For business people who compete for and fulfill government contracts, Academy classes are just as pertinent. Contractor personnel who attend Academy courses gain real-world knowledge about how government officials are trained to formulate and administer contracts. Insights into these areas provide invaluable guidance for reaching greater success in competing for, winning, and fulfilling government contract work.

Benefits of attendance include expert instruction, a printed Student Guide to be used back on the job, valuable handouts, and exclusive electronic resources. In addition, a complimentary breakfast is served each morning, along with snacks throughout each day. For groups of 10 or more, Georgia Tech offers discounts.

Improve Your Win Rate — **Government and industry representatives sit side-by-side in small group settings to learn government contracting fundamentals at Georgia Tech’s Global Learning Center.**

For details on all of Georgia Tech’s government contracting classes, including the FAR Fundamentals course series, please visit: https://contractingacademy.gatech.edu/training

August 19, 2019 By AMK

Money spent through OTAs surges to more than $4 billion

Other Transaction Agreements are an increasingly popular contracting tool, and they’re affecting overall government contracting numbers.

OTA purchases across the government surged from $2.3 billion in fiscal 2017 to over $4 billion in fiscal 2018.

The numbers come from the BGOV200, an annual ranking of the top 200 federal contractors created by Bloomberg Government.

“While multiple-award contracting is expected to dominate spending for years to come, agencies are also leveraging new acquisition methods to buy goods and services more quickly and easily in ways they haven’t before,” the report states.

The OTA authority, which was expanded by the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, allows agencies to sidestep the Federal Acquisition Regulation and work with innovative, small companies that don’t normally do business with the government.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.fedscoop.com/otas-contracting-fiscal-2018-bgov/