FAR training | The Contracting Education Academy

May 12, 2015 By AMK

Plan now to attend important contracting classes in June

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering two courses in June 2015 that offer essential insights into the federal contracting process, from both a government and a contractor point-of-view.

Contract Planning in the FAR – CON 090-2 – covers how the federal government plans acquisitions, conducts market research, describes agency needs, and sets priorities for the acquisition of commercial and non-developmental items. Students learn: the policies and procedures for acquisition planning; the policies pertaining to required and preferred sources of supplies and service; how to determine the appropriate type of contract, contracting technique, and terms and conditions; what socioeconomic programs apply; how to publicize a solicitation; and how to judge a contractor’s qualifications. Details for registering for this June 1 – 5, 2015 course can be found here: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-2-contract-planning-far.
Contracting Officer Representative and the Contingency Contracting Environment – COR 206/222 – provides a comprehensive review and instruction on the role and responsibilities of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), including ethical situations and cultural differences a COR may experience while deployed in a contingency operation. Students learn how to: review contract terms and conditions; understand each party’s role and responsibility in contract administration; document and obtain approval for contract changes and modifications; monitor contract expenditures; conduct contract close-outs; and manage ethical and legal issues in the contingency contracting environment. Details for registering for this June 8 – 12, 2015 course can be found here: https://pe.gatech.edu/courses/cor-206222-contracting-officer-representative-course-and-contingency-contracting-environment.

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 federal contracting.

April 21, 2015 By AMK

Some DOT contracting officers not certified for high-dollar contracts

Nearly a quarter of Transportation Department contracting officers didn’t comply with certification specifications when working on certain high dollar acquisitions, says an April 9, 2015 DOT inspector general report.

In fiscal 2014, DOT obligated $2 billion on contracts.

To help ensure those contracts meet federal and departmental requirements, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) requires that contracting officers be certified at the appropriate level to correspond with the dollar value of contracts, the report says.

OFPP also directed each agency’s chief acquisition officer to establish agency-specific certification and warrant requirements.

But of the 63 contracting officers GAO reviewed, 15, or about 24 percent, did not fully comply with those requirements.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/some-dot-contracting-officers-not-certified-high-dollar-contracts/2015-04-15

Read the DOT IG’s report here: https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/DOT%20Contracting%20Officer%20Certification%20and%20Warrant%20Requirements%20Final%20Report%5E4-9-15.pdf

April 21, 2015 By AMK

Four-day course beginning May 12 covers basic principles of Federal Acquisition Regulation

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) kicks-off a four-day course on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 covering the fundamentals of 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.

This 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), and the DFARS’ Procedures, Guidance and Information (PGI).

This course was originally designed exclusively for federal contracting officers, but 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.

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

In all, there are four Modules that make-up the CON 090 course series. Information about the entire series can be found at: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-federal-acquisition-regulation-far-fundamentals.

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

The 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 a printed Student Guide, helpful handouts, a deck of FAR Cards, and access to exclusive on-line resources.

March 2, 2015 By AMK

Delaware businesses benefit from Academy’s instruction

A group of Delaware business people braved snowy conditions on the morning of February 26th to gather at the Biotechnology Institute on the main campus of the University of Delaware (UDEL) to learn about the significance of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to their participation in federal contracts.

The educational workshop was hosted by the PTAC of Delaware Program, part of the University of Delaware’s Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships, Small Business Development Center. UDEL’s Juanita Beauford made arrangements for the workshop to be conducted by representatives of The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy).

The businesses were provided with a half-day of intensive instruction on how to use the FAR, along with insights into how the government plans, forms, and administers its contracts. Each participant was provided with a 190-page workbook mirroring the workshop’s content, along with FAR flash cards and a contract administration pocket guide. “We’re confident the attendees will find the workshop’s materials to be useful desktop references for years to come,” pointed out Chuck Schadl, group manager for government contracting services at The Academy.

Delaware workshop participants received expert instruction and resources on the business implications of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Lead instructor Kevin Grimes led the business group through a thorough examination of the FAR and its implications for contractors. Covered topics in the “Complete FAR Guide for Businesses” workshop included:

Market research and how the government defines its needs.
Commercial item determinations and acquisition strategies.
The concept of full and open competition.
The Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
The government’s small business policy.
The principles of contract formation.
Solicitation and evaluation of offers.
Source selection, debriefings, and protests.
Adjustments in contract terms, modifications, and claims.
Quality assurance, acceptance, and payment.
Disputes, appeals, and contract terminations and close-outs.

Highlighted during the workshop were 24 “Win Tips” — informational resources and strategies designed to help businesses better understand contracting standards in order to win contracts with the government. Workshop participants also were given access to an exclusive web site where government contracting resources are maintained for the business community.

Business groups interested in arranging for the “Complete FAR Guide for Businesses” workshop to be brought to their community may contact The Contracting Academy at Georgia Tech at 404-894-6109 or info@ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu.

The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering two courses in June 2015 that offer essential insights into the federal contracting process, from both a government and a contractor point-of-view.

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