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FROM KELLY MOORE, ACTING HEAD OF THE CONTRACTING ACTIVITY (HCA)
I am excited to have the opportunity serve you as the Acting HCA for the upcoming months. I always find that the first quarter of the new fiscal year is a strange time as we are generally contending with one or more potential continuing resolutions, while also trying to find time to take a much-needed break and thinking ahead to the upcoming holiday season.
To recap fiscal year 2023, USDA’s contract obligations reached $11.4 billion on over 64,000 transactions. And while the numbers tell part of the story, more important are the outcomes each of you contributed to as part of the acquisition workforce. The contracts and programs in your mission areas and offices support the USDA mission and impact the American public – you are an important part of that. I encourage you to reflect on your connection to the USDA mission and the services being provided to your supported mission areas and offices.
As we look forward in fiscal year 2024, I encourage you to keep finding ways to improve outcomes and to stay connected to the mission you are supporting. Your work is important and appreciated.
I hope that this quarter you find time to celebrate your successes, set some goals for the future, and connect with those who are important to you.
Thank you for your contributions each day to the USDA mission and for making the USDA Acquisition Workforce a wonderful place to be.
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CONTRACTING DESK BOOK Version 3.6 Released!
Desk Book 3.6 is now LIVE and can be accessed at Policy and Regulations. Several important changes were made in October, which includes (but isn't limited to): updates to the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) designation and the new Procurement Forecast process in section 401, clarifications in Acquisition Planning, section 407, and Sustainable Acquisition requirements in section 423.
OCP Templates for USDA-wide use can be accessed at Templates. The Procurement Policy Division (PPD) will be working in FY24 to ensure that all templates are 508 compliant, so check back often for the most updated documents.
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INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION BPA Now Available!
OCP awarded the USDA-wide Intelligent Automation (IA) multiple blanket purchase agreements (BPA) for a 7-year ordering period. The BPAs are open to all USDA agencies and enable USDA to leverage data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and robotics process automations (RPA) to streamline operations, drive savings, increase productivity, and execute and improve business operations throughout the enterprise.
Additionally, USDA's CIO, Gary Washington, released USDA Interim Guidance on Generative AI on October 16, 2023. Please ensure you understand this guidance if you are planning to use AI in contract requirements.
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 PROCUREMENT FORECASTS – Always Available for Creation and Update
OCP continues to partner with Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) on forecasts (procurement opportunities) functionality. Forecasts can be entered/edited at any time via the module found on the IAS Portal. Mission Area Small Business Specialists can request the IAS Team to update the external-facing web site with updates to provide vendors with the latest opportunities.
Communication is forthcoming on documentation and training on forecasts including new functionality to link forecasts to IAS transactions which automates status tracking.
Additional information on the Procurement Forecast Tool and its benefits are highlighted below in the Four Pillars Spotlight.
FOUR PILLARS of Sustainable and Innovative Acquisition- Project Spotlight: Procurement Forecast Tool
The OCP Four Pillars Team is hard at work on several projects that deliver sustainable federal acquisition solutions in procurement equity, worker well-being, climate smart acquisition, and supply chain resilience. Read about these efforts on the Four Pillars SharePoint. This edition's project highlight shines the spotlight on the Department’s Procurement Forecast Tool:
The public-facing, web-based Procurement Forecast Tool was implemented based on a collaborative effort between OCP and OSDBU. The tool removes barriers to full and equal participation in USDA’s procurement opportunities in underserved communities by making USDA procurement opportunities easy to identify, accessible, searchable, and actionable. Over 5,000 entries were available in the tool for FY23 and 3,650 entries are available in the FY24 forecast. USDA implemented a communication plan to increase awareness and use, including announcements via a USDA press release (USDA Announces Tool to Assist Small Businesses and Individuals in Identifying Procurement Opportunities | USDA), SAM.Gov announcement, SBA announcement, and more.
Further enhancements are forthcoming for the procurement forecast tool - please monitor the IAS News page, the Four Pillars SharePoint, and/or the Acquisition Workforce SharePoint for updates.
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ACHIEVE SMALL BUSINESS BENEFITS WITH ACQUISITION INNOVATION
Use Acquisition Innovation to level the playing field for our Small Business Partners with:
- Confidence in the offeror’s likelihood to succeed.
- Down Select for early indication of likelihood of award.
- Oral Presentations to showcase their talent and capabilities.
These are just a few examples of benefits that Acquisition Innovation offers to our Small Business partners.
Visit the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovation at Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations | FAI.GOV and look for this icon:
 The PTAI is a great resource for anyone looking for new acquisition tools and techniques. PTAI is a government-wide platform for agencies to share information about innovative acquisition techniques and automation tools. These tools and techniques are consistent with the FAR and help agencies achieve one or more of the following results: reduced barriers to entry, accelerated award/optimized operations, faster delivery, improved customer satisfaction, increased accuracy, saved or redirected labor hours, and/or cost avoidance.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) UPDATES - Davis Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA)
DOL recently updated the DBRA in a "Final Rule" which adds efficiencies, clarifications, and worker protections. As of 10/23/2023, all new solicitations and contracts must incorporate the applicable wage determination for each type of substantial construction involved. Important information on the Final Rule can be found here. Register for Prevailing Wage Seminars here.
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GOVERNMENT PURCHASE CARD FY23 and FY24 Reminder
Default Accounting Codes (DACs) for the majority of Government Purchase Card (GPC) accounts rolled over to FY24 accounting on October 8-9, 2023 based on input received from Agency Program Coordinators (APCs). Please remember that transactions that occurred on September 30, 2023 MUST use FY23 or prior accounting. Using FY24 funds for transactions prior to October 1, 2023 is a violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA).
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CONTINUOUS LEARNING POINTS (CLPs) 6-MONTH REMINDER: CLPs are due by April 30, 2024
ATTENTION! Acquisition workforce professionals with an active FAC-C, FAC-COR, or FAC-P/PM certification have six (6) months remaining (until April 30, 2024) to obtain the required continuous learning (CL) points to maintain their current certifications. In addition, USDA requires those who are SF-1402 warranted Contracting Officers to complete 80 CLPs and adhere to their Mission Area Acquisition Career Manager Designee’s (ACMD) guidance on tracking CL. If you are short on CLPs, make a plan to attend upcoming training and/or seek other opportunities (read about upcoming training opportunities below) to obtain CLPs. Your Mission Area ACMD will continue to communicate additional CL opportunities, including USDA-sponsored events and other types of CL activities, as well as agency-specific guidance related to CL requirements. If you need further assistance, please contact your Mission Area ACMD.
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UPCOMING USDA TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
USDA is committed to offering acquisition workforce training for optimal performance and CLPs needed for certification maintenance. Upcoming training opportunities include:
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Third Thursday Training (3T) is now scheduled for every third Thursday of the month through March. Topics include the System for Award Management (SAM) and USDA Contracting Desk Book (Nov 16); Davis Bacon and Related Acts, presented by Department of Labor (Dec 21); Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (Jan 18); Market Research (Feb 15); Suspension and Debarment (March 21). All sessions start at 1 PM Eastern Time except for SAM and USDA Contracting Desk Book, which will start at Noon ET. Registration is not required. Find course information, Teams links, and outlook calendar invitations on the 3T SharePoint page. 3T sessions provide 1 to 1.5 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs).
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USDA Acquisition Systems Training - The IAS Team offers multiple courses throughout the year, such as Integrated Acquisition System (IAS) Overview, IAS Contracting, IAS Requisitioning, IAS Contract Monitoring, IAS Reporting Tool, Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), and more. Click the link above to view course offerings, dates, and registration instructions.
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USDA Program/Project Management (P/PM) Community of Practice (CoP) 1st Quarter Content Schedule – The USDA Mission Area Senior Program Managers (MASPMs) have set the 1st Quarter content schedule for the USDA P/PM CoP. The events are open to all USDA employees. Please ensure you reserve your calendar for any events you are interested in. Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) are awarded. Contact your MASPM if you have any questions (List of MASPMs).
Please check these sites regularly for USDA-specific training opportunities!
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 SPE TALKS - Thursday, November 9, from 1:00pm - 2:30pm ET. - 1.5 CLPs
The USDA Acting Senior Procurement Executive (SPE), Donald Baker, hosts the first SPE Talks of the FY. This quarterly webinar highlights procurement initiatives, processes, policies, and procedures and answers submitted questions. The November session will highlight FY23 initiatives and accomplishments, and provide information on FY24 goals and objectives for the USDA contracting workforce.
Registration is not required - simply join the training in Microsoft Teams Live at the scheduled date and time using this link to participate. To add this session to your Outlook calendar, click here.
GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION TRAINING OFFERINGS
In addition to the many courses hosted and sponsored by USDA, there are a wide variety of courses available government-wide to help you expand your knowledge and obtain your CLPs. Please check out the following resources:
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Free Acquisition Training in FAI Cornerstone OnDemand - FAI’s incredible array of FY24 FAC-C, FAC-COR, credential, and continuous learning virtual instructor-led training are now available for enrollment. Visit FAI’s training page for a list of all the class offerings that have seats available. All the courses can be found in FAI CSOD and are listed on FAI.gov. As a reminder, seats are first come, first serve; there is no tuition cost to students or their agencies. Do not delay; seats fill quickly! Book a seat now to take advantage of free training.
- GSA's Acquisition Training for the Real World returns this fall, from October 30-November 13, with ten training sessions offered at 1 PM ET daily.
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Government Purchase Cardholders - Training on GSA Commercial Platforms, presented by GSA. Read more about the training offerings and register here.
PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TRAINING NEEDS SURVEY
USDA is assessing training needs to determine areas of knowledge gaps for all Program and Project Managers (P/PM). Your timely survey submission is crucial for developing our P/PM Training Plan for FY2024. Please submit your response as soon as possible to ensure you are notified of upcoming P/PM opportunities. Your valuable survey responses hold immense power in shaping the future of USDA & Mission Area P/PM training offerings and will be used to determine the following:
- USDA & Mission Area P/PM certification classes.
- The continuous learning classes offered by USDA & Mission Area P/PM.
- Monthly P/PM webinars offered by the USDA P/PM Community of Practice.
- The interest in mentoring on P/PM discussion topics.
- The interest in receiving individual mentorship on P/PM discussion topics.
Your input matters and can significantly impact the growth and success of the P/PM community. Please take a moment to share your valuable feedback by filling out the survey. We appreciate your time and effort in assisting us.
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USDA-WIDE OCP EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
Did you know that you can manage your access to OCP emails on topics like training, SPE memos, and system updates? Go to https://ias.usda.gov/. Scroll all the way to the bottom. On the left-hand side under IAS Announcements, enter your @usda.gov email and click "Submit". Verify your email preferences, check the box for “all acquisition workforce” to receive these important emails, and click "Submit".
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