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Learn how the government puts together a contract October 21-25

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 21, 2019, entitled CON 090-3: Contract Formation in the FAR.

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.

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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

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Learn fundamentals of federal contracting rules August 6-9

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) kicks-off a four-day course on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 covering the fundamentals of using the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

The course is being conducted at Georgia Tech’s world-class professional education facilities in the Global Learning Center located on campus in midtown Atlanta.

FARThis contracting overview of the FAR, covers Module 1 of CON 090: Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals, and includes the identification of the basic principles of contracting by the federal government, identification of and access to on-line resources, and instruction on the location, citation, and interpretation of the FAR, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) as well as other agency FAR supplements.

More information about this course is available at: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-1-contracting-overview-far.  Complete registration information is located there, too.

Georgia Tech provides a highly-interactive learning environment that places emphasis on problem-solving and practical application.
Georgia Tech provides a highly-interactive learning environment that places emphasis on problem-solving and practical application.

Originally designed exclusively for federal contracting officers, The Academy has expanded its scope so that it is relevant to multiple audiences, including contractors seeking to learn more about the federal contracting process, federal officials who need to satisfy job-related continuous education requirements, and anyone seeking more information about the federal acquisition profession.

In all, there are four modules that make-up the CON 090 course series.  Information about the entire series can be found at: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-1-contracting-overview-far.

The Academy’s complete list of government acquisition courses, and course scheduling, is at: http://contractingacademy.gatech.edu/training.

DAU logoThe Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is an official equivalency training provider of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).  The Academy also offers new coursework from the Federal Acquisition Institute.

Students attending CON 090 courses at Georgia Tech receive expert instruction, a printed Student Guide, helpful handouts, a deck of FAR Cards, and access to exclusive on-line resources.  Students earn 2.8 CEUs.  In addition, a complimentary breakfast in provided each class day.

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Why contracting challenges put VA on the ‘High-Risk’ list

The Department of Veterans Affairs has not updated some of its purchasing regulations since 2008, and the resulting problems created for contracting officers at the agency have caused the Government Accountability Office to designate the problem a high-risk area for 2019.

“The VA acquisition is a huge part of the mission over at the Department of Veterans Affairs. They do about $26 billion in procurements each year, and tens of thousands of procurement actions. Since 2015, we’ve had over 31 recommendations that we’ve done there and, unfortunately, 21 of those remain open, and so the high-risk designation centers on a couple of longstanding weaknesses that they’ve had in the acquisition area,” said Chris Mihm, managing director of the GAO Strategic Issues Team, in an agency podcast.

“First is that they don’t have a consistent and coordinated set of policies and regulations across the department. Second is that there is the importance of just a human capital, to make sure that their people are trained, to make sure that their workloads are being appropriately managed. Third, there’s problems that we’ve seen in terms of data and transparency over the acquisition process. And then fourth, that we’re very concerned about the absence of a strategic approach to procurement at the department.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2019/03/07/why-contracting-challenges-put-va-on-the-high-risk-list/

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2 modules of popular FAR course offered in April

The focus will be on how the government plans and forms its contracts when The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech rolls out two courses in April 2019.  Both government contracting officials and government contractors will benefit from these course offerings.

The comprehensive five-day class, “Contract Planning in the FAR” (CON 090-2) will be presented April 8 through 12, 2019.

Then, on April 29 through May 3, “Contract Formation in the FAR” (CON 090-3) will be presented.

Whether you represent government or industry, this is your chance to learn how the Government plans and awards its contracts for the acquisition of products and services.
  • As a member of the government’s acquisition team, don’t you need to know how to conduct acquisition planning — and award contracts — properly?
  • As a contractor, wouldn’t you like to gain insights into the government’s contract planning and awards processes?

Both courses will be presented at Georgia Tech’s world-class Global Learning Center in midtown Atlanta.  Course and registration details for the courses can be found by clicking on the following links:

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 provided each morning, along with snacks throughout each day.

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 full FAR Fundamentals course series, please visit http://www.pe.gatech.edu/Subjects/Acquisition-Government-Contracting.

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