News for the Federal Acquisition Workforce

April 15, 2020

New OMB COVID-19 Guidance (M-20-21) OMB issued a memo providing Implementation Guidance for Supplemental COVID-19 Funding (M-20-21). This memo addresses agency reporting requirements such as using the National Interest Action Code and capturing purchase card use. The memo is available here at OMB M-20-21.

New FAN In A Minute: Episode 7 These GSA-produced videos highlight and provide brief overviews of recently issued FAR changes. You can see the new FAN In A Minute video and catch up on previous episodes here. This video series has been a big hit with procurement professionals government-wide. The first six "FAN In A Minute" videos have already been watched several thousand times. Viewers can read full details of the FAR changes from FAC 2020-05 here.

OPM Report on FY 2019 Human Capital Reviews The Office of Personnel Management released its Human Capital Reviews (HCR) Report, which helps agencies determine whether their human capital management practices support agency goals and missions. The report noted that agencies have struggled to close critical skills gaps, but have implemented systemic, technological, and communicative improvements to performance management systems.

For a Limited Time Only: OFPP’s First Ever Video Update The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) recently released a pilot video to update the acquisition workforce on government-wide acquisition policies and initiatives. “Solutions from the Source” is only available via the OFPP InReach Hub on the Acquisition Gateway.  Access the video here or sign up for an Acquisition Gateway account.

Professional Services Office Hours May 14 Register today for the next GSA Professional Services Office Hours, to be held on May 14 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Join GSA expert Ana Eckles and learn when to use HCaTS and when to use the Schedules to meet human capital requirements. Ms. Eckles will also discuss GSA's range of acquisition solutions that can accommodate simple and complex requirements throughout the human capital lifecycle. GSA's Professional Services Category monthly Office Hours are free, online classes designed to address federal customer agency questions about professional services acquisition. Earn 1 CLP! Register now.

DOL Realizes CM Success Historically, the Department of Labor used a decentralized approach for its IT and Professional Services procurement. This approach caused repetitive acquisitions, duplicated software and peripherals, and limited the availability of centralized procurement vehicles. Learn more about how a thorough review of the Department's acquisition system highlighted opportunities for improvement.

Instructor-led Training As of Monday, March 30, 2020, all FAI instructor-led training is being conducted virtually. All training previously scheduled for the classroom is converted to virtual delivery. This includes courses that had previously only been available in the classroom such as CON 360, Contracting for Decision-Makers, and FCN 400, Emergency Contracting Basics. Furthermore, FAI has published its entire schedule of FAC‑P/PM training through May 2021. Again, this new FAC‑P/PM training is being delivered virtually. Please follow our training provider’s guidance for virtual instruction to ensure you have the technical capability to participate in FAI’s virtual instructor-led training. As always, a list of classes with open seats is published on FAI.gov. Seats in FAI classes are first come, first served and always provided at no cost to students or their agencies.

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