Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

Georgia Tech schedules federal construction and A-E contracting classes in 2016

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Two new classes — designed for government contracting officials and contractors alike — will be offered by Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy in 2016.

Each of the two classes is five days in length, and each provides critical insights into how the government plans and executes contracting strategies for construction and architectural-engineering (A-E) work.

CON 243CON 243: Architect-Engineer Contracting is a five-day course, focusing on contracting for architectural-engineering services, covers issues across the contracting spectrum, including acquisition planning, source selection, proposal analysis, contract award and work, and contract management. Specific topics and practical exercises allow professionals to gain knowledge of the Selection of Architects and Engineers statue, the Standard Form 330, slate and selection process, review of government estimates, liability, Title II services, modifications, and contracting officer’s representative (COR) responsibilities. In this advanced course, students learn how to research proper application and interpretation of conflicting regulatory guidance, including Public Law, FAR, the DFARS and other Agency Supplements to the FAR, and legal precedence.

Who Should Attend CON 243:

Contracting officers, contract specialists, contracting officer representatives, program/project managers, small business specialists, industry contracting personnel, architects and engineers.

How You Will Benefit by Attending:

You will learn how to:

    • Determine if the services require Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute procedures and how to identify the basic steps necessary for the requirement.
    • Distinguish how the project is to be advertised and determine what is to be contained in the advertisement.
    • Determine the elements necessary for performance work statements.
    • Evaluate firms and determining the order in which they will be ranked once service has been advertised and qualifications statements received,
    • Determine applicable cost principles specific to A-E contracting in order to prepare a Government estimate or review a proposal.
    • Recognize when and how a Government cost estimate for the project is developed.
    • Develop a strategy and negotiating the project given an A-E firm’s proposal and the Government estimate,
    • Distinguish how the Government maintains quality assurance on the contract after it has been awarded.
    • Analyze the roles and responsibilities of those charged with the management and administration of the contract after award.
Schedule for CON 243 – click here.

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CON 244CON 244: Construction Contracting focuses on unique construction contracting issues, such as acquisition planning, contract performance management, funding, environmental concerns, construction contract language, and construction contracting in the commercial setting, the Construction Wage Rate Requirements Statute, design/build, basic schedule delay analysis, constructive changes, acceleration, and construction contract quality management.

Who Should Attend CON 244:

Contracting officers, contract specialists, contracting officer representatives, program/project managers, small business specialists, and industry contracting personnel.

How You Will Benefit by Attending:

You will learn how to:

      • Apply the Federal acquisition laws, regulations, Department of Defense and other agency supplementation, policies, procedures, and best business practices in soliciting and administering construction contracts.
      • Contrast the regular support requirements with a Construction Acquisition Plan in accordance with FAR Parts 7 and 36, DFARS Parts 207 and 236 and agency supplements, policies and procedures.
      • Develop a construction solicitation package in accordance with FAR, agency supplements, and policy/procedures.
      • Evaluate the appropriate construction contract awardee.
      • Determine the applicable construction contract administration (compliance) approach, using FAR, DFARS, DoD regulation/guidelines, and other relevant agency supplement, procedures and best business practices.
      • Formulate the remedy and appropriate clause for a changed construction condition in accordance with Federal and DoD acquisition and other agency laws, regulations, and best business practices.
      • Document appropriate actions necessary to verify for construction progress payment or construction contract closeout.
Schedule for CON 244 – click here.

December course covers the entire federal contracting process

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For contracting officers, understanding the federal acquisition process is a requirement.  Likewise, for contractors pursuing government contracts, understanding the process is a must.

For two weeks in December, Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy is offering a comprehensive course that covers the entire acquisition process, ranging from how government agencies define their needs to contract closeout — and everything in between.

The course, CON 120 – Mission Focused Contracting, is being presented on the Georgia Tech campus in midtown Atlanta Dec. 1 through 12, 2014.  Details are posted here.

Historically, the CON 120 course has been viewed as one of the most comprehensive of the course offerings originally developed by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).

5 Reasons Why You Should Take CON 120 at Georgia Tech

  1. You learn in an environment with your counterparts representing both government agencies and the contractor community.
  2. You learn and apply leadership, problem-solving, and negotiation skills in a highly-interactive environment.
  3. You engage in the entire acquisition process, from meeting with the customer to completing the contract closeout process — and everything in-between — based on completely refreshed course materials exclusively developed by Georgia Tech.
  4. You apply knowledge and skills while working on an actual integrated project team.
  5. You are eligible to receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from Georgia Tech.

Bonus:  At Georgia Tech, three on-line courses (CON 110, 111 and 112) are built-in to CON 120, saving you time and money.

As a part of this course, business people gain real insights into how the government:

  • Completes a market research report.
  • Develops a bid or proposal solicitation package.
  • Evaluates proposals and awards contracts.
  • Monitors contractor performance, applies remedies, and makes proper contract payments.
  • Modifies contracts, exercises options, and completes the contract closeout process

As a result, you will:

  • Discover business growth opportunities for your company in the government sector.
  • Learn how to develop a bid proposal that will put you ahead of the competition.
  • Gain insight on ways to get your small business subcontracting plan approved.
  • Network with and learn alongside government contracting officials to gain a better understanding of the process, roles, and responsibilities of government contracting.
  • Understand how your company fits in as an important member of the acquisition team.

For more information or to register, please visit http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-120-mission-focused-contracting.

 

Course is essential to understanding small business contracting rules

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is repeating its three-day course that delves into the intricacies of the federal government’s Small Business Programs.  The course focuses on the government agencies’ efforts to improve small business participation in both prime contracting and subcontracting.

Because of its relevance and popularity, the course is now scheduled to be held:

  • July 8 – 10, 2014
  • October 7 – 9, 2014

These classes will be held in the world-class Global Learning Center on Georgia Tech’s campus in midtown Atlanta.  Registration details may be found by clicking here.

Academy identifier - gold & black w-white bkgrndKnown as “CON 260B – Small Business Programs,” the course is a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) level 2 contracting course that goes a long way to ensure that those in the acquisition field are more aware of and responsive to small business concerns.  Historically, this class was designed for small business specialists, however The Academy has fashioned this class so that it is applicable to all interested parties – senior executives, managers, contracting officers and contracting staff, small business specialists from all agencies, small business advocates, as well as large and small business concerns.

A review of DAU’s prerequisite course, CON 260A, is included in the Contracting Academy’s course.

Small business participation in federal contracting is a high-profile issue.  For example, a recent Dept. of Defense (DoD) memo (seen here) reiterates how essential small businesses are to our nation’s economic recovery because they produce more jobs, represent a major source of innovative solutions to warfighter needs that help maintain our status as the world’s finest military, and contribute more to gross domestic output.  The Contracting Academy is committed to supporting DoD and other agency directives aimed at achieving higher levels of small business participation in federal contracting.

Uncle Sam's DollarsAll leaders who manage budgets and allocate funds for contracts and contracting officers are collectively responsible for achieving the government’s 23 percent small business goal.  To ensure that this collective responsibility is met, many federal agencies’ senior executives are evaluated and held accountable for small business participation in contracting.  A mandatory performance requirement for supporting this goal includes language that “establishes a command or program climate that is responsive to small business concerns.”

The Academy’s CON 260B is very relevant to the training needs of everyone involved in the process of seeing to it that small businesses participate in government contracting and subcontracting opportunities.  This includes, of course, small businesses themselves — as well as large businesses who are required to establish small business subcontract participation plans.

The Academy offers CON 260B, a 3-day course, as an open enrollment course which virtually ensures seating for all registrants.  Register here for the next CON 260B – Small Business Programs class at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

2.1 CEUs are granted to those successfully completing this course.

Want to learn how the government administers a contract? Georgia Tech’s course, starting Sept. 8, tells you how

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Georgia Tech is teaching a course beginning September 8th that is beneficial to both contracting officials seeking to hone their skills as well as contractors looking for insights into how the Government manages its contracts.

The course — CON 090-4, Contract Administration in the Federal Acquisition Regulation — covers every aspect of post-award activity.  This includes monitoring of the contractor’s performance, quality assurance, contract modifications, how terms and conditions are enforced, processing payments, handling disputes and appeals, terminations, and the contract close-out procedure.

  • For government contracting officers, this course represents the fourth module of coursework required to maintain a contracting warrant.   (A warrant is a written document providing a contracting officer with the limits of his or her authority.   Per FAR 1.601-2, Contracting Officers have the authority to “enter into, administer, or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings” to the extent of the authority delegated to them by their warrant.)   Georgia Tech’s Contracting Education Academy offers a set of courses — each equivalent to Defense Acquisition University (DAU) course standards — that help contracting officials maintain their warrants and enhance their professional development.
  • For businesspeople who compete for and fulfill government contracts, Academy classes are equally pertinent.  Contractor personnel who attend Academy courses such as this one gain real-world knowledge about how government officials are trained to formulate and administer contracts.   Insights in these areas provide invaluable guidance pertinent to reaching greater success in competing for, winning, and fulfilling government contract work.

CON 090-4 is a five-day course being offered during the week of September 8, 2014 on Georgia Tech’s midtown Atlanta campus.  CON 090-4 is part of an overall four-week course that deals with every aspect of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the set of rules which govern the government’s “acquisition process” — that is, the process through which the government purchases (or “acquires”) goods and services.  Since the CON 090 courses are designed as modules, they may be taken in any order.

For more information on CON 090-4, including cost and registration, please visit http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-090-4-contract-administration-far.

For information about the entire CON 090 course series and other courses offered by The Academy, please visit http://www.pe.gatech.edu/Subjects/Acquisition-Government-Contracting.

Learn how the government conducts cost and price analysis, starting June 16

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering a course focusing on the Fundamentals of Cost & Price Analysis in government contracting.  The course begins June 16, 2014, and will be held at the Global Learning Center located on the midtown Atlanta campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

To see details or to register, click here.

Academy identifier - gold & black w-white bkgrndThe Academy’s comprehensive, two-week course begins with an in-depth review of the market research process, and provides instruction to help students understand and analyze contractor pricing strategies.

Attendees will learn to accomplish cost-volume-profit analysis, calculate contribution margin estimates, and develop cost estimating relationships in order to accomplish an effective price analysis pursuant to FAR Subpart 15.4.

After learning the basic elements of price and cost analysis, students will build and defend a pre-negotiation objective, including a minimum and maximum pricing objective with a weighted guidelines assessment.

This course is ideal for new hires in the contracting career field.   In addition, for government contractors, this course provides invaluable insights into the government contracting decision-making process.

Student performance will be assessed by graded exams on math fundamentals and applied course material as well as an exercise for student participation and completion of negotiations.

DAU logoCON 170 – Fundamentals of Cost & Price Analysis is Defense Acquisition University-equivalent training that satisfies the FAC-C and DAWIA certification programs.  Students successfully completing the course earn 7.35 continuing education units.

For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-170-fundamentals-cost-and-price-analysis

Popular small business course scheduled to be repeated

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is repeating its three-day course that delves into the intricacies of the government’s Small Business Programs.  The course focuses on the government’s efforts to improve small business participation in prime contracting and subcontracting.

Because of its relevance and popularity, the course is now scheduled to be held:

  • Dec. 3 – 5, 2013
  • Jan. 21 –  23, 2014
  • Apr. 15 – 17, 2014
  • July 8 – 10, 2014

All classes will be held in the world-class Global Learning Center on Georgia Tech’s campus in midtown Atlanta.

Known as “CON 260B – Small Business Programs,” the course is a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) level 2 contracting course that goes a long way to ensure that those in the acquisition field – DoD and non-DoD agencies alike – are more aware of and responsive to small business concerns.  Historically, this class was designed for small business specialists, however The Academy has fashioned this class so that it is applicable to all interested parties – senior executives, managers, contracting officers and contracting staff, small business specialists from all agencies, small business advocates, and large and small business concerns.

A review of DAU’s prerequisite course, CON 260A, is included in the Contracting Academy’s course.

On February 10, 2012 Ashton B. Carter, then Deputy Secretary of Defense released a memorandum regarding “Advancing Small Business Contracting Goals.”  The memo (seen here) reiterates how essential small businesses are to our nation’s economic recovery because they produce more jobs, represent a major source of innovative solutions to warfighter needs that help maintain our status as the world’s finest military, and contribute more to gross domestic output.  The Contracting Academy is committed to supporting Department of Defense and other agency directives aimed at achieving higher levels of small business participation in federal contracting.

Carter’s memo identifies all leaders who manage budgets and allocates funds for contracts in addition to contracting officers as being collectively responsible for achieving the 23 percent goal.  To ensure that this collective responsibility is met, Carter announced that senior executives will be rigorously evaluated and held accountable.  A mandatory performance requirement for supporting this goal includes language that “establishes a command or program climate that is responsive to small business concerns.”

The Academy’s CON 260B is very relevant to the training needs of everyone involved in the process of seeing to it that small businesses participate in government contracting and subcontracting opportunities.  This includes, of course, small businesses themselves.

The Academy offers CON 260B, a 3-day course, as an open enrollment course which virtually ensures seating for all registrants.  Register here for the next CON 260B – Small Business Programs class at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

2.1 CEUs are granted to those successfully completing this course.

This 3-day course is also available for instruction at your site.  For more information or to make arrangements, call 404-894-6109 or email info@contractingacademy.gatech.edu.

3-day course covers all federal small business programs

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering a three-day course delving into the intricacies of the government’s Small Business Programs, including efforts to improve small business participation in prime contracting and subcontracting.   The course will be held Oct. 29-31, 2013 in the world-class Global Learning Center on Georgia Tech’s campus in midtown Atlanta.

Known as “CON 260B – Small Business Programs,” the course is a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) level 2 contracting course that goes a long way to ensure that those in the acquisition field – DoD and non-DoD agencies alike – are more aware of and responsive to small business concerns.  Historically, this class was designed for small business specialists, however The Academy has fashioned this class so that it is applicable to all interested parties – senior executives, managers, contracting officers and contracting staff, small business specialists from all agencies, small business advocates, and large and small business concerns.

A review of DAU’s prerequisite course, CON 260A, is included in the Contracting Academy’s course.

The Contracting Academy is committed to supporting the latest Department of Defense (DoD) directive aimed at achieving higher levels of small business participation in DoD contracting.

On February 10, 2012 Ashton B. Carter, the Deputy Secretary of Defense released a memorandum regarding “Advancing Small Business Contracting Goals.”  The memo (seen here) reiterates how essential small businesses are to our nation’s economic recovery because they produce more jobs, represent a major source of innovative solutions to warfighter needs that help maintain our status as the world’s finest military, and contribute more to gross domestic output.

Carter’s memo identifies all leaders who manage budgets and allocates funds for contracts in addition to contracting officers as being collectively responsible for achieving the 23 percent goal.  To ensure that this collective responsibility is met, Carter announced that senior executives will be rigorously evaluated and held accountable.  A mandatory performance requirement for supporting this goal includes language that “establishes a command or program climate that is responsive to small business concerns.”

The Academy’s CON 260B is very relevant to the training needs of everyone involved in the process of seeing to it that small businesses participate in government contracting and subcontracting opportunities.  This includes, of course, small businesses themselves.

The Academy offers CON 260B, a 3-day course, as an open enrollment course which virtually ensures seating for all registrants.  Register here for the next CON 260B – Small Business Programs class at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

2.1 CEUs are granted to those successfully completing this course.

This 3-day course is also available for instruction at your site.  For more information or to make arrangements, call 404-894-6109 or email info@ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu.

Tech’s Contracting Academy to teach cost & price course in October

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech is offering a course focusing on the Fundamentals of Cost & Price Analysis in government contracting on October 14-25, 2013.

This comprehensive, two-week course begins with an in-depth review of the market research process, and provides instruction to help students understand and analyze contractor pricing strategies.

Attendees will learn to accomplish cost-volume-profit analysis, calculate contribution margin estimates, and develop cost estimating relationships in order to accomplish an effective price analysis pursuant to FAR Subpart 15.4.

After learning the basic elements of price and cost analysis, students will build and defend a pre-negotiation objective, including a minimum and maximum pricing objective with a weighted guidelines assessment. After successfully defending their pricing objectives, the students will practice face-to-face negotiations.

This course is targeted toward new hires to the contracting career field.   For government contractors, this course also provides invaluable insights into the government contracting decision-making process.

Student performance will be assessed by graded exams on math fundamentals and applied course material as well as an exercise for student participation and completion of negotiations.

CON 170 – Fundamentals of Cost & Price Analysis is Defense Acquisition University-equivalent training that satisfies the FAC-C and DAWIA certification programs.   In addition, 7.35 CEUs are granted for successful course completion.

For more information or to register, please visit: http://www.pe.gatech.edu/courses/con-170-fundamentals-cost-and-price-analysis

Government contracting courses for 2014 announced

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The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech (The Academy) has released its course calendar for calendar year 2014.

Representatives of both the government and private sectors will be pleased to learn that the courses include both traditional favorites as well as new offerings for 2014.

The Academy is an official training equivalency provider of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).  Since each of The Academy’s courses is DAU-equivalent, they satisfy the federal government’s FAC-C and DAWIA certification programs.  In addition, continuing education units (CEUs) are granted by the Georgia Institute of Technology.

  • The Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting Program (FAC-C) establishes graduated education, experience, and training standards for contracting professionals in all civilian agencies. FAC-C certifications are mutually accepted among all civilian agencies as documentation of accomplishment of these standards.
  • The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) established a very similar, but not identical, program for the Department of Defense (DoD). Civilian agencies may accept DAWIA certification as equivalent to FAC-C certification.

Of particular interest to representatives of the business community is the fact that The Academy’s coursework has been tailored to be relevant to both government contractors and government contracting professionals.  This makes The Academy’s classroom one of the few places anywhere where representatives of the private and government sectors can learn side-by-side about federal acquisition.   As a result, students find Academy courses especially rich in content and lively in conduct.

Courses currently scheduled for 2014 include:

To see each course’s scheduled dates, please click on the links above or visit: http://contractingacademy.gatech.edu/training.

Contracting Academy completes four-week course for Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans

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On March 29, 2013, the Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech wrapped up a highly successful four-week course for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans, La.

Entitled “FAR Fundamentals,” the course covers all 53 chapters and 2,000 pages of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).  The FAR is the federal government’s contracting rule book.

The Corps of Engineers contracted with the Academy to train 12 of its project and office engineers who are in charge of managing construction contractors in the New Orleans district.  The engineers engaged the Academy because they want to become more adept at correctly interpreting and applying federal contracting rules.

“Construction engineers play an important role by interfacing with both the contracting office and individual contractors,” explained Donna Bertrand, the Academy’s program manager.  “In addition to making sure that the work is being performed correctly, they act as the contracting office’s eyes and ears in the field.”   Bertrand managed the course implementation during the entire four weeks, including the administration of 12 quizzes and four exams.

The Academy, an official equivalency training provider for the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), adapted the FAR Fundamentals course to the Corps’ needs by developing training exercises and materials around real-life scenarios.

“The FAR is an extremely detailed and complicated subject matter,” said  Chuck Schadl, group manager for government contracting services.  “In presenting this course, we used every creative approach we could think of  to hold the students’ interest and enable learning.”

Some of the teaching techniques utilized included:

  • Creation of a deck of 53 playing cards, corresponding with each of the FAR’s 53 chapters, enabling students to use them as flash cards to learn the FAR’s structure and parts.
  • Using games – adapted from the board game “Scattergories” and the TV show “Jeopardy”— to stimulate student participation in the classroom, encourage competition, and help students prepare for testing.
  • Introduction of special web page of contracting resources – consisting of templates, case studies, and other electronic tools – created exclusively for the Corps’ students.
  • Providing small prizes –Georgia Tech memorabilia — to reward student accomplishments at key points in the course.
  • Daily review of contracting news items to illustrate the importance of the acquisition profession and why it’s necessary to stay current.

The Academy’s lead instructor for this course was Clarence Roberts, a retired DAU professor and former federal contracting officer.  Clarence’s instructional style is lively and engaging, and students frequently stated their appreciation for his willingness to listen to different approaches to contracting.  “We try to instill in students the fact that, while the FAR may have a rule for everything, there frequently is more than one correct way to handle contracting situations,” Roberts  pointed out.

Students of the FAR Fundamentals course earn 13.3 Continuing Education Units, or 133 Continuous Learning Points, that can be used to satisfy federal training requirements.

“We hope that this will be only the first of many more on-site engagements where we bring the Academy’s coursework to government agencies,”  Bertrand concluded.  “In this time of budget austerity, agencies are looking for ways to trim travel budgets, especially.”

For more details on the Academy, including the courses and services offered, please see www.ContractingAcademy.gatech.edu.

 

Shown below: The Academy’s instructors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ officials celebrate completion of the four-week FAR Fundamentals class.

class photo 03.29.2013

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