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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.
Georgia Tech is an official equivalency training provider for the Defense Acquisition University and the Federal Acquisition Institute.

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Our popular Construction Contracting course begins May 4th — Make plans now to attend!

This course answers the important question: What makes construction contracts so different?

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering the four and a half day Defense Acquisition University course, CON 244: Construction Contracting, during the week of May 4, 2020.

Students attending Georgia Tech’s contracting classes work in teams to tackle real-life contracting problems.

The course focuses on government contracting issues unique to the construction field.  Topics include: construction planning, construction performance monitoring, funding contingency considerations, environmental impact concerns, special contract terms and conditions, construction contracting in a commercial setting, the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (formerly known as the Davis-Bacon Act), the design/build strategy, schedule delay analysis, constructive changes, project acceleration, construction contract quality management, and much more.

For more details, and to register for this course, please visit: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-244-construction-contracting.

Who Should Attend 

Contracting officers, contract specialists, contracting officer representatives, program/project managers, small business specialists, and industry contracting personnel.

Georgia Tech provides a highly interactive learning environment that places emphasis on problem solving and practical application.
How You Will Benefit

Attendees learn how to:

  • Apply federal acquisition laws and regulations, including Department of Defense and other agency supplemental regulations, agency policies and procedures, and best practices in soliciting, awarding and administering construction contracts.
  • Contrast typical support requirements with a federal Construction Acquisition Plan in accordance with FAR Parts 7 and 36, DFARS Parts 207 and 236, and agency supplements, policies and procedures.
  • Develop a construction solicitation package in accordance with the FAR, agency supplements, and agency policy/procedures.
  • Evaluate, using appropriate procedures, construction offerors and the contract awardee.
  • Determine the applicable construction contract administration (compliance) approach, using the FAR, DFARS, DoD regulation/guidelines, and other relevant agency supplements, procedures and best practices.
  • Formulate a remedy — based on the appropriate clause for a changed construction condition — in accordance with federal and DoD acquisition and other agency laws, regulations, and best practices.
  • Document appropriate actions necessary to verify costs in order to authorize construction progress payments and initiate construction contract closeout.
Act Now

Plan to join your colleagues in attending this thorough and engaging examination of the federal construction contracting process.  Complete registration details are right here.

Credit

Students successfully completing this 4.5-day course receive 32 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) from the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and 3.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  These credits satisfy the latest Level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting, or FAC-C, training requirements.

Added Benefits

You’ll learn in a small group setting at Georgia Tech’s world-class Global Learning Center where you’ll engage in real-life problem-solving exercises.  You’ll receive expert instruction, a printed student guide to be used back on the job, valuable handouts, and exclusive electronic resources.  Plus, a complimentary breakfast is provided each morning, along with snacks throughout each day.

Registration

For more information, cost, and the registration link, go right here: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-244-construction-contracting.

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The paths become clearer: DoD acquisition policy and the Adaptive Acquisition Framework

The Honorable Ellen Lord, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment), has repeatedly stressed that one of her office’s primary goals is to reform Defense acquisition so that it delivers capabilities at the speed of relevance to our Warfighters.

Since Dec. 31, Lord has approved the release of all six acquisition pathways that make up the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), DoD’s long-awaited rewrite of the Defense Acquisition directives commonly referred to as the “5000 series.”

Reforming this cumbersome set of documents has been a priority for Lord, who has been introducing the concepts to Congress, the defense industry, and the Defense Acquisition Workforce for several months.

“[The] way forward removes a longstanding system of bureaucracy and red tape by turning the procurement process into one that empowers users to be creative decision makers and problem solvers,” she wrote in a recent Defense Acquisition magazine article recently reprinted here by the Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech.

The revised 5000 series includes the introduction of the AAF, which gives acquisition professionals six different acquisition pathways: Urgent Capability Acquisition, Middle Tier of Acquisition, Major Capability Acquisition, Acquisition of Services, Defense Business Systems, and Interim Software Acquisition.

The final step of the release process involves an intricate transition that will occur when the Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02, “Operation of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework,” is released. This new version of the 5000.02 will cancel the current 5000.02, “Operation of the Defense Acquisition System.”

Because of differences in the two documents, functional policies applicable to engineering, test, cost, etc. will be nullified.  To mitigate the gap, DoDI 5000.02T (T stands for transition), “Operation of the Defense Acquisition System,” will be published to facilitate a smooth transition to AAF operations and will remain in effect until the completion of the AAF realignment.

Below are the policies that comprise the redesigned DoD 5000 series:

Defense acquisition professionals are advised to check DoD’s AAF website often for the latest policy updates.

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Pentagon announces final version of cyber standards for contractors

During an event where Defense Department officials looked to dispel myths about a plan to certify the cybersecurity of its contractors through third-party audits, the department’s head of acquisitions spoke to why the rollout of the program isn’t expected to be done till 2026. 

“We are doing this with what I would call irreversible momentum,” Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said, answering questions from reporters.

Some stakeholders have said the plan to subject companies in the defense industrial base to reviews by independent auditors—instead of allowing them to self-attest to security practices—is moving at break-neck speed.  But Defense officials were pressed at the event to explain why it would take such a long time to fully implement the program.

“We’re being realistic in terms of making sure we have pathfinder projects and then we implement it and learn, get the feedback, and go on,” Lord said.

While the department plans to note CMMC requirements in requests for information starting late spring, specific security levels—ranging 1 through 5, described in a final version 1.0 of the model—won’t be included in requests for proposals till the fall, when it is expected the related rule will be finalized in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations.

Spring is also when auditors will start attending classes and CMMC training will be available on the Defense Acquisition University website, officials said.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2020/01/pentagon-announces-final-version-cyber-standards-contractors/162807/

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Here’s how to invest an extra-long February in your professional development

It’s Leap Year!  Will you squander the extra time, or will you invest it in yourself?
Keeping pace with changes in your job is always a challenge.  Pursuing new knowledge is the key.
Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy is offering two terrific courses in February.  They could be just the thing you need to update your skills and qualify you for advancement in your job.
Featured are:
  • Contract Planning in the FAR (CON 090-2) – February 3-7, 2020 – Covers 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.
  • Architect and Engineering Services Contracting (CON 243) – Feb. 10-14, 2020 – Focuses on acquisition planning for A&E services, the slate and selection process, proposal analysis, contract award, the review of government estimates, liability, Title II services, modifications, contract management, and the contracting officer representative’s responsibilities.
(Click on the course titles above to see registration and pricing details.)

 

Discover the Georgia Tech Difference!
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.
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.

 

Georgia Tech is an official equivalency training provider for the Defense Acquisition University and the Federal Acquisition Institute.
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Atlanta, GA 30308
info@ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu
Phone: 404-894-6109
Fax: 404-410-6885

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