News for the Acquisition Workforce

Attention all FAC-C (Professional), FAC-COR, and FAC-P/PM holders! Please read Acquisition Flash 2024-1, released by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) on Oct. 19, 2023. Below are some highlights:

Thank you for your dedication to the mission in FY 23. It was a great year! 

• OFPP introduced a series of mandatory training classes for ALL civilian agency certified acquisition workforce members. 
• You must complete these by June 30, 2024. FAI CSOD will assign these training courses to you as a learning assignment. They will appear on your active transcript and award CLPs upon completion (refer to the chart titled “Mandatory Training Required by June 30, 2024” in the Acquisition Flash). 
• The second chart in the Acquisition Flash recommends some additional training classes that OFPP suggests you take in addition to the mandatory training.
• If you have already completed one of the courses, you have fulfilled this learning assignment and do not need to retake the course. 
• Certified acquisition workforce members must meet their two-year continuous learning point requirement by April 30, 2024. 

Again, these are just highlights. We recommend that you read the Acquisition Flash in full. 

OFPP thanks you for a great FY 23 and looks forward to a brand new year!

Follow FAI to stay informed on the latest acquisition news and updates:

FAI.gov, Acquisition Today Newsletter, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube

"Acquisition Training for the Real World" fall FY24 began Oct. 30, 2023, and goes through Nov. 13, 2023, from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET or 10:00–11:00 a.m. PT. By attending Acquisition Training for the Real World, you can: become an expert on GSA’s tools and how they can help improve your acquisitions; gain skills to improve agency buying power and reduce contract duplication; and earn CLPs to maintain your certifications. Registration is open and free to government employees only (federal, state, local, tribal). Reserve your seat today!

On Oct. 16, 2023, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Department of Defense (DoD) signed the groundbreaking Contracting Certification Reciprocity Memorandum of Understanding. The FAC-C (Professional) and the DoD Contracting Professional Certification are now aligned with a common set of certification standards that include education, training, certification exams, and experience! Reciprocity between the two certifications facilitates a new era of talent mobility for the civilian and defense agency contracting workforces and provides maximum flexibility in hiring qualified contracting professionals for civilian agencies, military services, and fourth estate agencies.

FAI is excited to bring you NEW fiscal year 2024 Q2, Q3, and Q4 FAC-C, FAC-COR, FAC-P/PM, credential, and continuous learning virtual instructor-led training in FAI CSOD! View the complete list of new course offerings on FAI.gov. Seats will be first come, first serve, and, as always, there will be no tuition cost to students or their agencies. Do not delay; seats fill fast!

USAID has a few courses in their Innovators series that others might be interested in. Their work in private sector engagement and pay-for-results has spurred some interesting learning opportunities. These are great courses for those who are looking beyond the fundamentals and have some experience under their belt. See the flyer for more information. All courses are currently open to FAC-C (Professional), FAC-COR, and FAC-P/PM in FAI CSOD.

You can save time and money by buying excess property instead of new. Before taking a contract action, agencies must try to meet requirements with excess property (FAR Subpart 8.1). Utilizing excess property has never been better in a time of tighter budgets and more complicated contracts. The Personal Property Management System (PPMS) makes it easy to find and request excess property. Most property is transferred to the receiving agency for free (transportation and handling). All federal employees with ".gov" or ".mil" email addresses can self-register with PPMS to view property. The PPMS homepage has self-registration at the top right. Ask your agency's national utilization officer for permission to request property. Visit: www.gsa.gov/property or contact your local GSA area property officer for more information. Some of the many types of property available include, but are not limited to: aircraft and aircraft parts; boats and marine equipment; food preparation equipment; furniture; hardware and tools; office equipment and supplies; and much more.