The Federal Acquisition Institute is updating the FAC-C (Professional) Certification Exam to align with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul and the evolving acquisition policy environment. Updates will be completed by March 31, 2026, with implementation beginning in April 2026.

The exam will continue to assess core acquisition competencies through scenario-based questions that evaluate a contracting professional’s ability to apply acquisition principles, sound business judgment, and critical thinking. It does not test memorization of FAR or DFARS citations.

Candidates testing before implementation will take the current exam, while those testing after implementation will take the updated version. FAI encourages candidates to continue scheduling exams, as the assessment will measure the same core competencies. The exam requirement only applies to members of the acquisition workforce who are seeking to earn the FAC-C (Professional) certification for the first time.

For questions, contact your agency acquisition career manager or small agency representative.

Is your goal this year to earn a new certification, or do you want to get a head start on your CLPs for the 2026–2028 common period? If so, register for one of the following classes that best meets your goals today.

Certification courses:

Continuous learning opportunities:

• FCR 404 - COR Refresher, April 27–May 1, or May 11–May 15
• ACQ 265 - Mission-Focused Services Acquisition, May 4–May 7, or May 26–May 29
• FQN 200 - Administration Of Cost-Reimbursement Contracts, May 4–May 8
• FQN 425 - Simplified Acquisition Procedures (5-Day), May 11–May 15
• FQN 475 - Advanced Simplified Acquisition Procedures (5-Day), May 11–May 15
• SBP 2020V - Intermediate Small Business Programs, Part B, May 11–May 19
• ACQ 3700V - Acquisition Law, May 18–May 22
• FQN 415 - Performance-Based Acquisition (5-Day), May 18–May 22
• FQN 180 - Cost Analysis, May 18–May 22
• ACQ 315 - Understanding Industry (Business Acumen),  May 18–May 22

GSA has retired eSRS.gov and moved subcontracting plan reporting to SAM.gov as part of its ongoing modernization effort. The new capability incorporates statutory and regulatory requirements, including the Small Business Act and the upcoming FAR overhaul, while leveraging SAM.gov entity and contract data to streamline reporting. Active eSRS users were transitioned to SAM.gov. For guidance and role information, visit https://sam.gov/esrs.

Successful completion of the Digital IT Acquisition Professional (DITAP) training program earns students a DITAP training certificate, 80 CLPs, and the ability to apply for the Digital Services Credential (DITAP) (formerly FAC-C-DS) through FAI's credential program. FAC-C (Professional) holders with at least two years of experience and assigned to acquisitions consisting primarily of digital services over FAR 13.500(c) thresholds are required to attend the DITAP training program.

FAC-COR Level II/III and FAC-P/PM Level II/III holders with at least two years of experience and assigned to acquisitions consisting primarily of digital services over FAR 13.500(c) thresholds are encouraged to attend DITAP training to create a cohesive team that fully understands how to buy digital services.

There are several vendors who provide the training: EAGLES, ICF, CivicActions, Graduate School USA, Skylight, Management Concepts. Learn more about DITAP by visiting the TechFAR Hub.

SAM.gov now hosts the federal government’s contract award data search, replacing the public search functions previously available in FPDS.gov. Users can access contract award records through the Contracting Search feature with a SAM.gov account and Login.gov credentials. The updated capability improves navigation, introduces enhanced search filters, and supports partial search entries to help users find contract data more efficiently. Visit SAM.gov/fpds for additional details and system updates.

Automate your acquisition processes without becoming a coding expert. Use AI as your personal coding assistant. Join Andrea Azarcon Heller, the Federal Acquisition Service Generative AI Program Manager from GSA, to learn how AI-assisted coding streamlines workflows, accelerates results, and strengthens your competitive edge. She will demonstrate how “vibe coding” simplifies tasks like pulling labor rate data to improve efficiency. This session is open to federal employees and approved contractors only. Register using a .gov or .mil email address.

GSA established 19 OneGov IT agreements across cloud, security, productivity, and AI to simplify how agencies access widely used technology through governmentwide, enterprise-scale solutions. In the coming months, they will highlight these agreements and show how they support agency missions by improving value, transparency, and acquisition efficiency. Agencies can access OneGov IT agreements with Adobe, Amazon, Box, Broadcom, Cohesity, DocuSign, Elastic, Google, ID.me, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, Palo Alto Networks, Perplexity, SAP, ServiceNow, Tenable, and xAI. Learn more at itvmo.gsa.gov/onegov/.