News for the Federal Acquisition Workforce

November 4, 2020

FAI is Looking for Construction Contracting Expertise The Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) is looking for individuals who have a working knowledge of construction wage rates (aka Davis Bacon Act) in support of updating a web-based/online training course. If you have a strong construction contracting background, and would like to participate, please apply through this Acquisition Open Opportunity.

New Installment to the Back to Basics Series Released! FAIth and FAIgan are tackling a new topic in FAC 090 - Back to Basics: Building and Strengthening Effective Communication with Industry. Developed by FAI in collaboration with OFPP, you will learn how to strengthen effective communication with industry partners by removing preconceived myths and replacing them with the facts of how the actual systems, strategies, and procedures work. Check out this new 1 CLP online course!

Contract Data Reports now Only at beta.SAM.gov The IAE is pleased to announce that the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) reports module has successfully migrated to beta.SAM.gov. From now on, beta.SAM.gov is the only place to create and run static, standard, administrative, and ad hoc contract data reports. Experienced reports users will see that the core capabilities of static, standard, and administrative reports in beta.SAM.gov has not changed. However, the tool used to create ad hoc reports is different. You should get to know the tool before you try to use it. We have a library of training resources on the Contract Data page in addition to the resources we have shared in prior blogs. For ad hoc reports users, we also have a video series dedicated to using ad hoc reporting tools in beta.SAM.gov, starting with this first video.

GSA Spotlight Webinar November 10, 2020 Register today for the next GSA Spotlight Webinar, to be held November 10, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ET. A Services Acquisition Workshop (SAW) is a highly structured, facilitated workshop built around a specific acquisition and its multi-functional integrated project team (IPT). The workshop walks the complete team through the performance-based acquisition (PBA) process from beginning to end. The primary focus of the CSAW is to get all members of the acquisition team or IPT contributing and working together to accomplish the necessary work. CSAWs focus on getting actual work product started (and possibly completed), giving the team the tools (knowledge, skills and understanding) to continue the process through to completion, and building a team commitment to continuing to work together GSA has been partnering with OMB and a multi-agency cohort aimed at providing SAWs to civilian agencies and has now completed two workshops for OPM and DOT. This session will provide an overview of Civilian Services Acquisition Workshops (CSAWs), how they can benefit your acquisition teams, and ways you can get involved with this valuable service offering. Earn 1 CLP!  Register now.

Agency Engagement Seminar Recording Available The Government-wide Category Management (CM) PMO and the Office of Management and Budget hosted a training seminar focused on the government-wide training key performance indicator (KPI) and agency training best practices. The nearly 300 attendees learned how the government-wide training KPI is being calculated and tracked and heard from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Agency for International Development on how they are effectively developing and delivering CM training within their agencies. Watch a recording of the seminar on the Acquisition Gateway

Professional Services Office Hours November 12, 2020 Register today for the next GSA Professional Services Office Hours, to be held on November 12, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Federal Business Opportunities website, best known as FedBizOpps or FBO, has moved to the new Beta.SAM.gov platform. Join us this month to learn how to set up custom searches, find previous awards, and navigate the federal opportunities marketplace. This training will provide a walk-through of the Beta.SAM system and demonstrate how to set up the functionality of the old FBO in the new portal.  Earn 1 CLP! Register now.

Acquisition Today is published the first and third Wednesday of each month.  If you have information that you would like to share with the federal acquisition workforce community via Acquisition Today, you may submit your article for consideration by completing this form. If you have feedback that you would like to share with FAI, please email us at contact@fai.gov.

Any reference to, or information discussing, a specific commercial training organization, or its products, processes, or services within this Acquisition Today newsletter does not constitute or imply an endorsement by FAI, GSA, or the United States Government of the commercial training organization, or its products, processes, services, producers, or providers. The views and opinions expressed in any referenced document, website, linked information, or any other information, contained in the newsletter regarding a commercial training organization do not necessarily state or reflect those of FAI, GSA, or the United States Government. All references to commercial training organizations are for information purposes only.  Neither the FAI, GSA, or the United States Government, nor any of their employees, assumes any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information from a commercial training organization's referenced information, linked information, services, products, producers, or providers.