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.

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.

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.