News for the Acquisition Workforce

Government/industry engagement is essential for the success of the federal acquisition process. However, this essential component of a well-functioning procurement system is sometimes unknown or overlooked. The video linked here provides a 30-minute overview that details what government/industry engagement is, outlines strategies for success, provides practical examples of successful government/industry engagement, and reviews takeaways and resources. Tune in to learn more and support the success of federal acquisition processes!

Join the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) on Dec. 15, 12:00-1:30 p.m. ET for an update on the latest and greatest changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation and other regulations. This webinar will identify the most significant changes to the regulations in fiscal year 2022, evaluate new risks and obligations for agencies, and prepare students for what is next on the horizon. FAI has purchased a limited number of seats for this webinar for federal contracting professionals—government employees only. You do not need to be an NCMA member, but you will need an NCMA account to register. Upon checkout, use promotional code: DEC22FARGRP3 and the registration fee will be credited. If you have any questions about this webinar, contact teresa.reefe@fai.gov. Register today before all seats are gone!

Join this month’s webinar and learn more about how to find service providers or suppliers for your next requirement. Let GSA’s Market Research As a Service (MRAS) team assist your agency in finding GSA contract holders capable of meeting your procurement needs. The training will provide you with a better understanding of how to leverage GSA’s MRAS program for more effective market research. By leveraging prior research and analytics and the in-depth knowledge of market research specialists, GSA’s MRAS team will help you identify suppliers, summarize their capabilities and socioeconomics, and provide a comprehensive market plan—all at no cost! Plus, you’ll earn one CLP!

A new online course, FAC 097 Navigating Buy American and Trade Agreements, is now available in FAI CSOD. This new course incorporates all of the changes from FAR Rule 2021-008, including the new domestic content requirements for Buy American, the new fallback threshold, as well as the new price evaluation preferences for critical items and critical components. The course also introduces and utilizes two new Buy American and Trade Agreements decision tools that are available on FAI.gov. If you are a contracting professional that purchases supplies, this course is for you! Earn two CLPs for course completion. Register today!

After 20 years in federal acquisition, it is encouraging to see how the workforce, technology and policies continue to drive positive change in government and ultimately, for the American public. These promising changes are happening in fascinating ways, from using robotic process automation to transform federal buying, to GSA's latest collaboration with the Defense Acquisition University. Read more about it in GSA's blog post. 

Feeling siloed? Join the Federal Program and Project Management Community of Practice for its quarterly meeting on Thursday, Nov. 3, 10:00-11:00 a.m. ET to share insights and think outside the box! Federal employees and select contractors are welcome. Visit the website at OMB MAX to register.

During this spotlight session, the focus will be on the GSA SmartPay government-wide commercial charge card and related payment services program. Supporting agency missions for almost 25 years, this program has an impressive track record in streamlining government purchases and payments while reducing costs. Recognized as a world-class program which sets the global standard for government charge card programs, GSA's SmartPay handled more than 19 million participating agency/organization purchase card transactions totaling $22 billion in fiscal year 2021 alone. GSA will address current program issues including: spending trends, use of the cards for contract payments, selected GSA SmartPay 3 innovations and tips for increasing program refunds to further support your organization’s mission. Register now and earn one CLP!

Program managers, consider taking this high-level overview of how to manage climate risks. This new course is broken into three modules, and it explains the current climate science, the need to adapt to climate change hazards and steps program managers can take to mitigate risks. The course also highlights several resources that will assist with making your program more climate-ready. Don’t delay; program managers can register here and earn one CLP after completing the post-assessment. 

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in partnership with FAI and COR subject matter experts across civilian agencies, revised the FAC-COR competency model. The revised model reflects the evolving environment of CORs and is better aligned with the current role of a COR. The FAC-COR program is based on competencies that CORs must have to perform their duties as acquisition team members. Commercial training providers have crosswalked and/or updated their COR certification courses accordingly and there is no change to the status of existing FAC-COR certifications. 

The fourth annual Defense Acquisition University/George Mason University Government Contracting Conference is Friday, Nov. 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. AcquisitioNext, the conference theme, focuses on the need to replace the industrial age acquisition paradigm of linearity and prediction with digital age approaches of modularity, speed, iteration, and competition. You will explore the AcquisitioNext approach in: spurring small business innovation, implementing concepts such as Joint All-Domain Command and Control, reforming the budget process and more. Speakers will include senior officials from government, business, and academia. AcquisitioNext is both in-person and virtual. 

Acquisition Training for the Real World is a two-week program of daily virtual training sessions on GSA’s tools and digital services and the latest information on federal marketplace initiatives. It is open exclusively to federal agency personnel. Earn up to nine CLPs. Register today!