News for the Federal Acquisition Workforce

September 2, 2020

COR Toolkit is now available on FAI.gov FAI has created the COR Toolkit in collaboration with the Leapin' Lizards, a Spring 2020 Leadership Excellence in Acquisition Program team. The COR Toolkit provides a comprehensive set of links to policies, resources, training, and communities of practice for acquisition community members, all in one place and in an easy to use format. Visit FAI.gov Tools to learn more.

FAC 091 Small Business Strategies for Multiple-Award Contracts Register for FAC 091 Small Business Strategies for Multiple-Award Contracts and earn one CLP. Learn about the small business strategies that are available for contracting professionals to utilize when awarding and ordering under multiple-award contracts, including the new concept of Reserves. Register through DAU’s Virtual Campus today!

New FAC-COR Level III Recommended Training Requirements The new Recommended Training Requirements for Federal Acquisition Certification—Contracting Officer’s Representative (FAC-COR) Level III will become effective on October 1, 2020. The FCR 400 (40 CLPs) Advanced Contracting Officer Representative Workshop will replace FCR 201 (40 CLPs) Contracting Officer’s Representative in the FAC-COR Level III Recommended Training option only. The FCR 400 course is appropriate for experienced CORs who are assigned to the most complex, risk-filled, and mission-critical contracts within their agency.  As always, a list of classes with open seats is published on FAI.gov.

LEAP Joins Mission Support Program The Leadership Excellence in Acquisition Program (LEAP) is now part of the new Mission Support Leadership Program. Acquisition professionals will join counterparts from finance, HR, and IT in a single course that delivers important leadership skills and builds on connections among the tracks’ business functions. This program responds to user feedback about LEAP and includes all the components respondents found valuable: the coursework, benchmarks, results projects, coaching, mentoring, and networking. Apply by September 29, 2020 to take advantage of this opportunity.

FQN 076 Critical Decision Making-Capstone In collaboration with DOI, DHS, VAAA, and NPS, FAI will release their fifth instructor-led cross-functional course, FQN 076 Critical Decision-Making Capstone in FY21. Learn to synthesize lessons from FAC 072, FAC 073, FAC 074, and FAC 075 and how to apply the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act (PMIAA) to the acquisition environment. Register for FQN 076 Critical Decision-Making Capstone in FAITAS to earn four CLPs.

How Alliant 2 Can Benefit Your Agency Join GSA on September 9 from 11:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. ET for a complimentary webinar on how the Alliant 2 government-wide acquisition contract (GWAC) can support your agency's IT project initiatives. Warranted contracting officers must complete this training before requesting a Delegation of Procurement Authority to issue orders against Alliant 2. OMB designated this GWAC as a Best in Class solution for IT services. If you have any questions about this webinar, please email alliant2@gsa.gov. Sign up today!

Professional Services Office Hours September 10 Register for the next GSA Professional Services Office Hours, to be held on September 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET. GSA is modernizing federal acquisition by consolidating the 24 existing Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) into 1 Schedule for products, services, and solutions. Using a single contract vehicle will streamline and simplify the buying experience, making it easier for customers to find total solutions, ensure terms and conditions are met, and eliminate duplicate contracts. MAS Consolidation is one of the four cornerstone initiatives of the Federal Marketplace Strategy, GSA’s plan to modernize and simplify the buying and selling experience for customers, suppliers, and acquisition professionals. Learn how the MAS Consolidation will impact your agency and how to navigate the new Schedule and earn one CLP!  Register now.

Get Your Free Acquisition Training! FAI’s incredible array of FY21 FAC-C, FAC-COR, FAC-P/PM, and continuous learning instructor-led training offerings are now open for enrollment. Book a seat now to take advantage of this free training. Visit FAI’s training page for a lists of all the class offerings that have seats available. All the courses necessary for certification can be found there as well as course offerings for the following new subjects: Understanding Industry (Business Acumen), Cybersecurity—Supply Chain Risk Management, Information Technology Acquisition, Acquisition of Agile Services, Applying Agile Scrum Master—Practices in the Federal Environment, Developing Agile Requirements and User Stories in the Federal Environment, Conducting Acquisitions for Cloud Services, The Integrated Project Team, Government Product Owner, Procurement Innovation—FAR Flexibility, Other Transaction Authority, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and the Critical Decision-Making Capstone.

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