contract planning | The Contracting Education Academy

January 4, 2021 By cs

On-line classes announced for 1st quarter of 2021

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech has announced four courses to be presented virtually during the first three months of 2021.

The courses to be presented are:

A Contracting Overview of the FAR (CON 090-1) – Jan. 19 – 22, 2021
FAR Fundamentals (FCN 190) – Feb. 1 – 12, 2021
Contract Planning in the FAR (CON 090-2) – Feb. 22 – 26, 2021
Contract Formation in the FAR (CON 090-3) – Mar. 8 – 12, 2021

Here’s a brief recap of each course, along with a link to price, registration and other details for each course:

A Contracting Overview of the FAR (CON 090-1) – Jan. 19 – 22, 2021 – Covers the identification of the basic principles of federal government contracting, including the structure and content of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency supplements. Students learn how to locate, cite, and interpret regulations. More details here: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-1-contracting-overview-far

FAR Fundamentals (FCN 190) – Feb. 1 – 12, 2021 – Designed for both GS-1102 contracting personnel as well as aspiring government contractors, this 10-day course conveys basic knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), including how to apply the rules in order to make appropriate decisions at each step of the contracting process. More details here: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-2-contract-planning-far

Contract Planning in the FAR (CON 090-2) – Feb. 22 – 26, 2021 – Covers acquisition planning, market research, describing agency needs, the preference for commercial and non-developmental items, contract types, special contracting techniques, socioeconomic programs, special terms and conditions, contractor qualifications, and advertising requirements. More details here: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-2-contract-planning-far

Contract Formation in the FAR (CON 090-3) – Mar. 8 – 12, 2021 – Covers policies and procedures for simplified acquisitions, sealed bidding as well as negotiated acquisitions, cost accounting standards, special contracting methods and emergency acquisitions, and the filing and handling of protests. More details here: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-3-contract-formation-far

A schedule of other courses coming up in 2021 can be found at: https://contractingacademy.gatech.edu/training/

September 24, 2020 By cs

Comments on government supply chain rule push for better definitions and more time

Industry groups and other comments highlight the difficulty of complying with a provision of last year’s defense authorization act that requires the removal of products from companies including Huawei and ZTE.

The broad, ambiguous language of Congressionally-mandated rule for government contractors to remove products and services from companies that pose threats to national security is complicating implementation, according to public comments.

The comment period for the interim Federal Acquisition Rule implementing Part B of Section 889 — a provision of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act — closed last week, and the more than 30 comments submitted raise questions related to fundamental compliance issues.

While in general, commenters agree with the rule’s intent, groups representing industry, including the National Defense Industrial Association, BSA | The Software Alliance, the Coalition for Government Procurement and the Internet Association submitted detailed letters to Regulations.gov outlining compliance challenges. Nearly all asked for extended timelines for implementation and better definitions for key terms and phrases used in the regulation.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2020/09/comments-government-supply-chain-rule-push-better-definitions-and-more-time/168460/

September 23, 2020 By cs

18F says 6 core concepts can reduce risk in federal tech projects

The new ‘De-risking Government Technology Field Guide’ looks to educate officials on how to merge modern software design with traditional government bureaucracy.

**Click on image above to download the Field Guide.**

Teams of technology, process and procurement experts with the Technology Transformation Service have published a 128-page guidebook outlining best practices for technology projects—federal, state or local—in an attempt to “de-risk” one of the most failure-prone areas of government.

Last week, 18F — the internal tech consultancy housed in the General Services Administration’s TTS — in conjunction with their colleagues at 10x, released the “De-risking Government Technology Field Guide” with specific advice on how agencies can use human-centered design, agile development and modular contracting to significantly lower the risk of producing a substandard or unusable product.

“Only 13% of large government software projects are successful,” the guide states, citing statistics from The Standish Group analyzing projects in the U.S. and Europe valued at more than $6 million. “Modern software development practices reduce that risk by delivering working code every few weeks and getting feedback from end users to ensure that the product meets their needs.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2020/09/18f-says-6-core-concepts-can-reduce-risk-federal-tech-projects/168490/

September 9, 2020 By cs

Don’t miss our on-line contract planning course in October!

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 5 – 9, 2020.

The course will be presented virtually, so you can attend without having to travel! 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.

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

February 25, 2020 By cs

How much do you want to become a ‘FAR master’?

Whether you are a government contracting official or a government contractor, your success hinges on your mastery of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) — the rules that must be followed in acquiring goods and services.

*Don’t miss the opportunity to learn all about the FAR — side-by-side with your peers.*

The FAR’s rules are voluminous — 2,000 pages in all, plus hundreds of supplemental rules tailored to individual agencies throughout the federal government. How can you be expected to find these rules, grasp their meaning and, most importantly, apply them properly?

Fortunately for you, Georgia Tech has the courses that will teach you all you need to know. And, best of all, our instruction is based on practical application, so you will return to your job equipped with the skills and knowledge to confidently navigate all aspects of contract planning, contract formation, and contract administration.

Our FAR coursework is based on training originally developed by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU). It’s been enhanced by Georgia Tech to provide the know-how actually needed by acquisition professionals like you. And, best of all, our comprehensive coursework is broken-up into modules so that you can learn conveniently, based on your priorities and at your own pace.

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) offers its comprehensive FAR course in four, one-week classes. Each “module” focuses on a different aspect of the FAR and, best of all, the modules may be taken in any order. This means you have multiple opportunities throughout the year to complete the entire course without the challenge of being away from your job or home for an entire month.

The Academy’s foundational course focuses on four distinctly different aspects of the FAR:

Contracting Overview of the FAR (CON 090-1) introduces the FAR and how to navigate all of the acquisition regulations. This four-day course answers the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the FAR. This module is considered the most challenging lesson in the course, as it provide hands-on training on the FAR’s structure, meaning, and proper application.
Contract Planning in the FAR (CON 090-2) presents information on the policies and procedures for the acquisition of supplies and services from required or preferred sources. Key topics in this lesson include the use of required sources, use of existing contracts, and required participation by small businesses.
Contract Formation in the FAR (CON 090-3) goes deep into different methods of contracting by: 1) comparing and contrasting the solicitation and evaluation of offers in sealed bidding and competitive negotiation, 2) exploring the procedural requirements of making a contract award, and 3) explaining simplified acquisition procedures as well as the policies and procedures for handling bid and size status protests.
Contract Administration in the FAR (CON 090-4) covers the basic principles of contract management, including making contract modifications, administration of selected terms and conditions, handling delays, quality assurance procedures, making payments, addressing disputes and appeals, and contract terminations and closeouts.

**Students are exposed to realistic case studies and get a chance to work in groups to tackle real-life problem-solving exercises.**

Click on any of the course titles listed above to see course schedules and pricing. And see our exclusive Student Resources page for a detailed outline of the content covered in each of our four FAR course modules.

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. Plus, you’ll earn Continuous Education Units from Georgia Tech as well as credit toward Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) and Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting Program (FAC-C) training requirements.

All courses are conducted in Georgia Tech’s world-class Global Learning Center, conveniently located in Midtown Atlanta. Interested in us bringing our coursework to you? Simply contact us at info@ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu — we will be happy to speak with you about scheduling and quantity discounts.